Vanishing Thorns
by Whitney911
Summary: A party bash for Tails is thrown, but Amy is not invited. With a snap, Amy comes to see that it's time to change her life's focus and make new friends. Only then, of course, does Sonic see how much of a sore loser he is without her. Sonamy, EspioxAmy, ect
1. It Started with a Surprise Bash

"Surprise!"

Amy stopped abruptly in her steps, eyes going wide at the gang jumping up from behind different hiding places among the room, confetti blasting in the air and Cream sounding a loud squawker. The room was intensely, yet professionally, decorated with crepe paper that twirled around the room and among balloons attacked to the walls and furniture. Across the room, from one wall to the opposite, hung a large banner reading, "Congratulations, Tails!" in bold, capital letters.

...what? She had never heard about this.

"Amy!" Cream exclaimed cheerfully. "You came after all! Sonic and Knuckles were saying you wouldn't make it!"

The pink hedgehog's eyes scanned from Cream to Sonic, who was evidently avoiding eye contact. Knuckles' somehow got redder as he lost his temper and started yelling about the waste of confetti he just used up.

"Relax, hothead," said Rouge, who was invited to this occasion whereas the pink hedgehog wasn't. "There's more here."

"But still!"

"Calm down or else Facebook's gonna get a nice smack of your picture." Amy then noticed it; the hot pink hula skirt wrapped around Knuckles' waist. His wearing it was clearly a lost bet. How could Amy have been shunned from such an occasion? It was a bash for Tails' long-awaited departure to a science academy, yet she wasn't wanted here. Was she not a friend of the fox too?

"H-hey guys," she stammered, trying hard to convince herself otherwise of the obvious, that maybe there was just a misunderstanding and they forgot to call her. "What's up?"

The youngest member, being the most naive and innocent, blinked in surprise. "Why, Amy!" she gasped. "It's Tails' going away surprise party! Have you forgotten?"

Why, no! No, she had not forgotten, as there had been no memo to remember in the first place! Amy knew very well that Tails was leaving, therefore being her reason for her entrance in the first place. She never even considered the possibility of a surprise bash. Never mind the foam finger on Sonic's hand, nor the plastic crown on Rouge's head. No wonder everyone rejected her energetic request to conduct a surprise party herself, as there was already one being planned behind her back.

"Uh, yeah. Ha ha. I forgot." Her gaze went to the older ones of the room, noticing their silence on the whole matter. And she realized exactly what was going on.

She wasn't wanted.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her gaze from the tiles beneath her and smiled. "Well, I gotta go. Tell Tails congrats for me." She turned and moved towards the mild weathered outdoors once again as Cream asked why the hedgehog wouldn't stay. Amy felt no desire to tell the innocent child about what was happening behind the scenes, so she merely smiled and said that she had to deal with a certain situation. She stepped into the middle of the door frame.

"Amy?"

She raised her head and faced Tails, who just came to the front door, Though she wanted to cry and tell Tails everything that just took place, she simply beamed at him. "Hey Tails!" she exclaimed loudly, closing the door behind her. At least the surprise party could still go on. Tails didn't need to be complained to now. He had a lot that needed to be done, especially some intense packing jobs.

"What are you doing here?" the fox asked.

"Well, I was going to wish you a safe trip," because she was, "but you weren't home," but others were, "but now you're here, so here's a congratulations gift!" She handed him a generously wrapped box with green ribbon from within her plastic bag, finally completing her original objective before the specific circumstances came into place within Tails' home.

"Wow! Amy!" exclaimed the young one happily. "You really didn't need to!"

"I wanted to! I mean, you've been working super hard to get into this school, and you seriously deserve it!"

"Thank you so much, Amy!"

With a chuckle, Amy answered with a, "no problem," before urging him to open it. He nodded and kneeled to the ground, starting to energetically rip the paper away. Upon opening the box, he was delighted to find a set of advanced and almost unattainable metal pieces and gimmicks that would aid the little Einstein in his works. Hid face lit up as a child receiving a pet for Christmas.

"Wow! Amy!" he exclaimed brightly. "How did-I mean, wow! How did you GET these?"

Another giggle. "I'm pretty familiar with a store clerk that has some pretty good connections."

"Aw man! Just-thank you, Amy!" He hugged her before picking up the box happily and heading towards his haven. "Wanna come inside for tea or something? I'll have to pack, but you can keep me company."

She would have normally happily accepted the invitation, but she would be in the center of an overly awkward atmosphere if she were to go in now. "Nah. I've got things to do. Thanks anyways. Good luck with the whole packing thing though. See ya!"

Tails blinked. "Say...are you feeling okay?"

"Yep. Gotta go."

She turned and walked of, leaving Tails to frown confusingly and open his door to a "SURPRISE!" and a whole load of confetti.

"Congrats, bud!" Sonic grinned.

Tails looked at him, then back at Amy's figure running away. Looking back at the blue hedgehog, he sighed. "You...didn't invite Amy, did you?"


	2. It is Time to Move On

Friends. Amy scoffed at the word. Friends were nothing but a pathetic word that you are made to put hope in and made to believe that, within this cruel world of being burdened with calamities, failures, and disappointments, there are people to put your trust in. However, the number of loyal people who _could_ truly be considered good companions are limited. The truth had hit the pink hedgehog rigorously, and even that was an intense understatement. Life suddenly seemed so insignificant and..._pointless_. After all those years fighting, crying, laughing, _trusting_ together, the results screamed for their acceptance, which the hedgehog just did not want to oblige to. The longer she resisted, the louder it screamed. It was imperceptibly difficult for Amy to believe it had truly happened and that she hadn't just had a nightmare, as well as difficult to fully comprehend the situation and what such actions could allude. After all, they had been "friends" and "teammates" for _years_, confidently putting each others _lives_ into each others' hands. Their betrayal was completely unexpected.

All of Amy's skeptical and complicated emotions engrossed her head and heart so much that it caused her a sort of numbness. She had been lying on her black Horizon Sleeper Sofa for a complete twenty-four hour cycle, simply staring a the red wall facing her in complete darkness. She had run home in storming rain with uncontainable tears streaming down her face. She dove herself onto her couch and cried for well over four hours before coming into a trance. She remained completely motionless until Tails entered her dark home. He called her name as he switched the lights on.

"Amy," Tails said softly at her, "are you okay?"

With no response, the fox sat himself on the matching recliner positioned diagonally from her. The two rested in ringing silence for two minutes before Amy finally spoke. "How was the party?"

"Awkward."

"Hm."

Again, two long minutes passed.

"Hey, Tails?"

"Yes?"

"Is there something wrong with me?" It was now that she started bawling again. "Am I just so terrible that no one can stand me? Because I sure feel that way."

She stuffed her face in the blue pillow and moistened it with her tears.

"No, Amy," Tails responded soothingly. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're a great person with great qualities. Some people just don't take the time to look at those qualities."

Amy grabbed a Kleenex and blew her nose, afterwards tossing it to the floor to join it with the other two hundred and forty 100% recycled tissue papers.

"I'm sorry," Tails continued quietly. "I should have done something."

"No," Amy choked, her nose slightly blocked. "You're not to blame at all. There's no need for you to apologize.

"Hey, Tails?" Amy asked after using up seven more tissues. "Should I...?"

"Should I?" Tails pressed.

""Should I...move on?" This question had been hard to raise, one she didn't want to ask nor wanted an answer to, due to the chance that Tails might say yes. She would have to give up on everything she'd been working hard to achieve and to maintain. It was her "friends" she had lived for all along, and suddenly what she lived for didn't want her. She wanted, more than anything, to remain in the team's company, with the ones she wished she could consider "friends" despite what she's gone through, no matter how absurd the word was. Nonetheless, she realized that staying and chasing the things that could not be caught would be futile and draining for her, because no one wanted her to follow. She knew that it would be for the best, if Tails agreed, to put them behind her.

Despite this reasoning however, Amy could only see her world wilt away around her when Tails agreed, "Perhaps widening your association would be good."

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A little background info: a year has passed since the latest video game or show about Sonic the hedgehog. (Not including the new comings such as Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Colors) Eggman is still out there, but he won't be attacking in this story.

A listened to Comptine d'un autre ete-l'apre by Yann Tierson on repeat throughout the chapter.

I also used the thesaurus so much that I've had a word overdose. I've also spent a good 25 minutes researching couches and sofas (same thing) to put into the story, eventually finding the perfect couch for Amy's situation. Then I realized that Amy's living room is red, so I had to assume that the Horizon Sleeper Sofa comes in black.

Thank you for all the reviews and support I've gotten on just the first chapter! I truly appreciate it! Love you all! Sorry that I don't reply to reviews. Time forbids me from expressing my gratitude, so please, refer to this message as a thank you to all of your kind comments. I do read them, just so you know. If you have questions or such, I'll happily answer them.


	3. Connections Through the Failings

This is the edited version of chapter 3. Nick the cat has been replaced with Espio the Chameleon. If you have already read this chapter, you can skip 3 paragraphs to get to the new part. Thanks for you patience, and enjoy!  
p.s. Spelling errors must be reported please.

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It had been a hard week for our dear heroine as she cried out half a lifetime's worth of sorrow throughout the week of the incident. Tails took much time out of his preparation for school to offer his assistance and company to her, bringing over multiple boxes of Kleenex and handkerchiefs. Finally, an entire week passed by and she was run dry of tears and was told to re-enter the cruel world in order to accomplish a mission that Amy was purely doubtful of. She was to find new acquaintances, ones who would have deep concern for her well-being. Such a task felt impossible. After all, how could you replace your love on a different man? What were the chances of meeting one who could ever love her? Yes, Amy Rose the hedgehog had lost her faith in love, and the very word seemed like a curse to her. It had brought nothing but pain to her, and it ran before she could give it a piece of her mind. The world was no a nice place, she came to know, and she wondered if it was possible to find sincere people who wouldn't use you or back-stab you. It had happened once, so why wouldn't it happen again?

With a sigh, Amy concluded half way through her day in town that she was pathetically attempting stupidity, and that it would never work out. She began to shop instead of talking to waitresses at restaurants or flirting with security guards at parks.

Only two bags of clothes were being carried by Amy by four o'clock. This was due to how down she was feeling. Nothing was looking good on her and no articles of clothing truly spoke out to her.

She came to her last shop for the day, Dreamsville Clothes, and picked out an Islamic green camisole that contrasted her petite pink figure nicely. She went up to the cash and rummaged through her yellow leather purse - which is a very hot trend for the Summer's season. As she reached for her grey Roxy wallet, she heard the cashier mutter under his breath, "Ugh. It's hot girls like her that ruin my life."

Amy shot her head up, enraged by the statement. "And it's hot morons like yourself that take my life and squeeze it till there's nothing left!"

The two were startled when their eyes met, as they had been previously acquainted before and it was a such a coincidance that they happened to meet under such circumstances and that they happened to have greeted each other through complaints over their love lives. It was Espio that was before her, currently trying to make a few bucks to pay off the dept back at Team Chaotix' Detective Agency, where money just was _not _coming in. Plus, the air conditioning broke down on them, and Espio just could not stand to be in that place for more than three seconds. So, being the only disaplined one in the group, he got a job.

Espio was clearly surprised by Amy's outburst, though he contained more shock over the fact that she said the exact same thing he felt, his brilliant tabby yellow eyes widening slightly. He _was_ very attractive, Amy realized, as she beheld the chameleon's amazing fuscia purple fur.

"Sorry, Miss Rose," he then stated. "I didn't mean it that way." His voice was pleasant to listen to. "I just...I got totally let down by my girlfriend. Well, ex-girlfriend now."

"I see," Amy replied, instantly connecting to the one hundred-and-ten centimeter tall lizard and liking him. "Sorry for the outburst too. I've got quite a bit happening as well, along the same lines."

"Yeah?" Espio puffed his emotions into a sigh, leaning his head on his gloved hand. "You know how they say a boyfriend and girlfriend, or a married couple, are like best friends?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, friends are just things so abhorrent. You know, friends are nothing but a deplorable saying that you can put some hope in and make you believe that there are people you can trust within this cruel society. But it is nothing but illogical tomfoolery."

Amy stared at him, and could only think, "wow." Because there was actually someone who totally got what she was going through. She agreed with him.

"Please do not go complying with my dialogue just because I happened to start deploring about some nonsense," he groaned.

"No, no. I totally agree. And, after all that crap you go through, life is just so...weird, and empty. It's just so disappointing, after everything you've done for them, that they turn around and stab you."

"...why, yes." The chameleon raised his head, staring at Amy with astonishment. "Y-You apprehend exactly what I'm talking about."

"And you say exactly what I'm thinking about."

He smiled.

It was this beam that changed Amy Rose, as it was one that connected the two into a precious and vital relationship. His smile brought her from her deep emotions, because the smile showed that neither of them were facing the world alone anymore; none of them were fighting for something better on their own after this. His smile was saying, "Let's fight together," and she could see in his eyes that this was a sincere person. That having faith in bonds was not something so futile as it seemed.

So she smiled back.

"It has been too long, hasn't it, Miss Amy Rose?" stated the lizard, reaching out his hand for a shake.

"Yes. Yes, it has." And she took his hand, and it was that action that united the two into something that they suddenly were able to believe in: friendship.

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**NEW EDITED COMMENTS:** Yes, Nick has been dumped and replaced with Espio. Despite my helpless emotions plagued with guilt, I can't help but feel proud over this changement. Suddenly, this story seems ten times more interesting. The developement will be much more enjoyable with Espio within its story, increasing the...oh wait, I can't tell you much more than that! Hee hee. Don't wanna spoil you, do I? In any case, I was very happy to realize that Espio the Chameleon is exactly 110 cm, just as I had labourously arranged for dear Nick to be so that he could comply to the heights between Amy and Sonic. But, Espio was PERFECT! Espio's dialogue takes some time though, as his speech format is a lot more formal, thus requiring the use of the online Thesaurus for every sentence. But that's okay. I'm looking forward to following chapters! Thanks for the patience and wonderful reviews you wonderful people have given. As well as the very fact that you wonderful people read this story. :) Adios!

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**OLD COMMENTS:** I have created a new character: Nick the cat. He's fairly inspired by myself, however it took a lot of work to figure out a bio for him. I'd been working on him for half a year though, but only once every month about. I think he's super awesome, so Sonic's got some competition. Heheh. nonetheless, his appearance was a pain. I had to get the right colors down. I mean, I could have just said he's purple, but there are just too many different kinds of purple that one could totally give him the completely wrong look. So, google proved helpful in my searches for color grids and scales. I checked out all the different kinds of green and purple, as I knew that the two contrasts each other nicely. Then I had to compare and such. That's not all though.

I had to research Amy and Sonic's height in order to determine that of Nick's. I concluded that he should be as close to Sonic's height as possible, just not any taller, so I went with him being one centimeter shorter than Sonic and ten centimeters taller than Amy. Then I had to take into consideration the current heights of Sonic and Amy, which were 100 and 90 centimeters. Then I had to add two years to that, so I concluded that Amy would grow five centimeters (girls don't grow much after a certain time. It sucks) and Sonic and Nick would grow ten. I most likely messed up the math a bit, but whatever. Anyways, I've concluded that, after about an hour of searching, Amy is 95 centimeters, Sonic is 111 centimeters, and Nick is 109 centimeters. But then I realized that Sonic was too tall for Amy and that Nick was too short compared to Sonic, so I had to add a few centimeters to Amy and Nick, so we'll just say that Amy grows fast. Therefore, my ultimate conclusion is that Amy is 100 centimeters, Sonic 111 cm, and Nick 110 centimeters. I've put too much time into this.


	4. A Life Now Independant of Fake Affection

Since their fateful encounter, Espio and Amy had a special bond through their troubles. The two would often meet at Starbuckers after Espio's shifts were over, Amy getting a different drink every time and Espio sticking to a caramel mocha. Amy came to know Espio as one who excelled at social etiquette, therefore becoming the kindest and most gentleman-like person she had ever beheld. It was something that especially impressed her. When she first questioned his intentions of such kind gestures - taking her coat, offering to pay, carrying her bags, pulling out her chair - he responded that every man should handle a lady in such a manner. Her answer to that was giggled, as she knew that not very men would share such thinking, especially Sonic.

The two found that their situations were linked, as Espio came to fall in love with his best friend he met at Dreamsville, but after a few months into a romantic relationship, she backed out without a reason, suddenly saying the relationship was over and changing her phone numbers, addresses, and work place. The lovers of Amy and Espio both had no explanation for their heartbreaking behavior, and they both concluded that a clarification about such conduct would have been most appreciated instead of a kick and a ditching.

Amy found that Sonic crossed her mind less and less since her increased association with Espio, as he likewise found regarding his lover he called Bella. Though the pain was still there, the two disregarded their broken hearts through their fellowship.

Amy soon decided it was best to get a job as well, due to the fact that she could no longer consider herself part of the Sonic Team and would therefore not have any money to make her daily rent. She happily accepted the employment as a cashier when the manager of Starbuckers asked for her assistance, now cheerfully taking orders and making frappuccinos.

She'd been working there for a couple of days when Tails came along. "You seem to be handling things well. I'm glad."

She beamed at him. "It's all thanks to you, Tails."

He smiled, then ordered the most caffeinated drink at the booth. "I've gotta pull an all-nighter," he'd explained, tossing a ten-dollar bill on the counter. She wished him luck and passed him a Folgers extra bold in their largest format.

Throughout her first few weeks, Amy truly felt that she was finally getting somewhere in her life. Sure, working at a coffee booth in the middle of the mall wasn't going to get her far, but she was feeling that this step would help her take the next one. With her constant communication with Espio and her colleague friends, her mind drifted from Sonic even more so. She only thought of him when she was alone, and with her getting together with her girls from work after five o'clock coming around every two days, such a pondering was only relevant before she hit the sack. Had life ever been this good? Well, it had, back when she was part of the Sonic Team, but now was different. For the first time, she felt like she was able to do things on her own. She realized her happiness wasn't dependent on Sonic, though his affections for her _would_ contribute greatly to it. If such a fantasy were ever to become reality, she wondered if she could die of such happiness. If he would ever brush his lips against hers, if he were to ever smile and hand her an azalea with a wink, if he were to whisper huskily in her ear that he was in lo-

Oh! but what was the use fantasizing over such unreality? She often caught herself in the middle of such delusions during her shifts when customers were scarce. The majority of these situations were blotted out when Espio would pull her out with his deep voiced greetings. The two found that they became extremely hopeful upon the other, and by now, being two months - two months without any communication with Sonic or Bella - they had become closer than friends, yet not anything romantically significant.

It was soon after this that a certain friend of Espio and good rival of Sonic came around to order an extra strong expresso.

"It's...Jet, right?"

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Though it's not the best chapter, I find that this is a significant piece to the story. It shows how Amy's life doesn't completely evolve nor depend on Sonic's presence. It only requires effort.

So, thinking about it, I just could not put Espio and Amy together as ones romantically involved with each other. Nonetheless, his presence is much needed.

Being one who hates coffee with a passionate resentment, this chapter was significantly difficult to write, as I needed to view pictures of, dare I say it, coffee and drinks that contained that vulgar liquid. Just the slightest thing with coffee in it is unacceptable. Whether it's coffee cake or cappuccinos or anything with just a TINGE of coffee, I am able to taste it out and twist my face in disgust. That's how it is for me.

Hope it was decent enough to suit your tastes! Thank you again for your favorable reviews and compliments! I am truly honored.


	5. Snotnosed, Terdthrowing Orangutans

Hey! Just wanna say thanks for the support! You guys rock!  
Also, can anyone recommend some good titles for this story? I wish to change the title to something better. Besides that, enjoy! This chapter was fairly fun to do.

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The two were barely acquainted, meeting only under certain circumstances before. Through those sightings and rare interchanges of monologue, they had each made terrible first impressions on each other, causing Amy to have decided upon her dislike for the hawk. He was aggressive and completely inconsiderate of the feelings of others, Amy had decided, because this was the impression Jet had left through little communication, though there was always so much more to the person being judged, and only those who would make the effort would see a more agreeable side. Amy didn't realize at the time that she would be soon putting such unconditional efforts to know the green fella. For the time being though, she hated his guts.

"It's...Jet, right?" She did her utmost at containing herself from scrunching up her face in distaste, rather forcibly pulling her lips into a distorted smile, being the best she could manage.

"Yeah. And you are?" He gave off an unpleasant air, one that showed a self-assumed superiority compared to others, particularly to the hedgehog before him who was suppose to give him his expresso. His green feathers even seemed to ruffle as if to shed more light on his obnoxious personality, proving himself to be nothing more than a snob, his gleaming shades concealing his eyes.

Amy laughed off the discreet insult that was clearly hinted within his question. He most likely didn't care who she was, but she stated nonetheless, "Amy Rose."

His brow tightened into a frown, either in consideration of this name or because he thought he'd made it clear that he didn't care who she was and hadn't been wanting an answer after all. After almost a minute of awkward silence in wait for a response, he finally snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Oh! You're that annoying fan-girl who was all over Sonic! The one who was chasing him everywhere!"

The remark was a nice punch in the gut for our dear heroine. Amy had never considered her now-damaged reputation throughout her efforts in wooing the blue hedgehog, but Jet's realistic statement brought to life the fact that she would forever be known as the obsessive fan-girl who never won Sonic over. She realized just how unpleasant the outcome of having given such an impression was, and also just how much of her life she had wasted on such pitiful attempts.

"Yes, well..." Amy frowned down at her gloved hands. "I'd prefer you didn't bring that up."

"Heh. No kidding! I was cringe-worthy seeing you squealing over him like a crazed buffoon!"

..._buffoon_?

Unwisely enough, he continued. "And you chasing him like that; man! It's no wonder he ran from you! I actually feel kind of bad for that guy, though I never though I would ha-"

"SHUT UP!" Amy yelled, piercing him with a glare that could kill. It was a look that startled even the green hawk and the outburst was literally able to knock his glasses to the floor, revealing his startled blue eyes. It didn't matter how pretty they were; he had called her a buffoon. A _buffoon_!

She dramatically inhaled and stared him down to the core, fists balled up in front of her to keep her from strangling the guy. A BUFFOON, he said!

"If I'M a buffoon," she blew, "then that would make you a freakin' snot-nosed, terd-throwing ORANGUTAN! Seriously, learn to consider others before saying whatever the bloody hell you want, you good-for-nothing-but-yourself loser!"

His jaw dropped, absolutely astounded with the fact that a GIRL chose to, not just _insult_ him - THE beautiful and perfect Jet the Hawk - but to _yell_ out insults about being a SNOT-NOSED and TERD-THROWING _orangutan_, of all things! She called him _snot nosed!_ SNOT-NOSED! HIS perfect face..._snot-nosed_?

"Y-Y-You...YOU CALLED ME WHAT?" This was an outburst would have normally frightened any opposer, him being well known for his past as a gang leader and a hot-tempered nuclear bomb. This time, though, such a terrifying expression was absolutely sincere, and you could only imagine the color that would drain from anyone's face in a heartbeat.

Just...not Amy's. Oh no. She instead crossed her arms and lifted her nose to the air, an action so well performed that it rivaled even the great hawk's fearsome glare.

"A snot-nosed, terd-throwing orangutan," she repeated in reply. That's what he asked for, no?

His expression melted in an instant, jaw once again falling to the ground and his eyes widening. How could she be so...unintimidated? Better yet, how _dare_ she REPEAT such an INSULT!

He pounded his fist onto the counter and scowled at her. "You wanna go?"

"Nah, I wanna stay here."

It was then that Espio came into the scene, but the two were so occupied with their duel that his presence was non-existent to them. The lizard _swore_ he could see fire evolving around each individual, as well as an intense lighting duel with their eyes. Seriously, the lighting from their eyes were just crashing into each other. It was enough to make him retreat to a safe distance in a slight fear. Despite this, however, he couldn't help but grin. The result of this battle would be interesting, as he recognized the two partakers as ones who were not easily defeated in an insult contest.

"Look here, you squealing, obsessive, crazed, annoying, head-ache-causing buffoon!" continued Jet, though he could astonishingly feel that his insults were just weakening by the vowel. "If you think you can offend me with such vulgar, you are most definitely wr-"

"You mean a puffed up stinky swine bag like you won't be offended by such insults? How shocking. So you wouldn't mind if I continued on to explain that you're nothing but a self-centered, snot-feathered, irredeemably ill-mannered distortion of genetics with no regard for others, thus making you a loner who has nothing better to do than float around on a board and steal things because those are the only things he can manage?"

For a minute - maybe more - he rendered mute, only staring wide eyed back at a victorious grin that sung, "loser, loser, loser!" He opened his mouth to voice an irritated retort, but nothing passed by his lips. He closed it. Opened it, but closed it again. He had...no _comebacks_!

This is when Espio was noticed, his huskily low laughter being sounded beside the flabbergasted hawk. Espio had to support himself on the booth, his other hand supporting his head as he was unable to contain the irony of the situation. Amy blinked at him. It was the first time she had heard and seen him let out such an expression.

"Ha ha! Now _that_ was entertaining!" He pulled out a small audio recorder, an important yet underused asset to the Chaotix Detective Agency, that had successfully put into its memory the majority of Jet and Amy's conversation. "Blaze will _love_ to hear this!"

Noticeably, Jet's beak turned from its usual orange/yellow to a pink blush, or perhaps it was the result of his anger that someone had been humorously listening to Jet get owned in a verbal battle. And _that_, dear readers, was an intense and UNACCEPTABLE situation for our bird with a large ego.

"ESPIO!" he exclaimed, eying the recorder in his hand. "HOW - GIVE THAT TO ME!" He thrust his hand forward, reaching desperately for the device. However, this certain hawk forgot one important detail in this situation. Espio was a ninja.

Amy wasn't completely able to distinguish what had just happened, but she did note that Espio's hand had done..._something_ to make Jet end up on the floor face-up. The receiver of such pain groaned as Espio smiled at Amy and asked her if she was ready to go. Her gaze went from the bird to Espio, casting him a smile and nodding. She punched out, taking off her apron and locking up behind her.

"Let's go!" she happily cheered.

"Wait." Espio and Amy turned around to Jet, now on one knee and slowly lifting himself up. "The BUFFOON is coming TOO?"

"What does that terd-faced orangutan mean by "_too_?" We're not...all going together, are we?" Amy's eyes widened in horror at Espio, who chuckled.

"Yes, we are," he replied, whereas Jet was waving his fists angrily, clearly recovered from whatever Espio did. "I sincerely apologize and am deeply grieved that the two of you have come to such unpleasant terms. I was hoping to introduce the two of you under better circumstances."

Amy sighed. "Well, whatever. HE'S the one who's got the problem, not me."

And, of course, Jet continued to throw a tantrum.

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Will update as soon as possible! Remember to think up some titles, kay?


	6. Best Not Mess With a Ninja

In Espio's lifetime, there had been things that he had deep regret over, such as ripping a classmate's teddybear's arm off during ninja training when he was four. He felt contrition over not studying for his grade six final ninja exam and not acing the test, remorse over painfully knocking out one of Charmy's teeth with a punch. He especially felt lament heartache over not being able to maintain his relationship with Bella, feeling that he could have done _something _to save their wavering relationship. But there was one thing that seemed elevate among all other things, especially at this moment.

**_What _**was he _thinking_, willfully placing himself within the battlefield grounds of verbal battles between Amy and Jet? Better yet, _what _was he _drugged _to permit himself to walk **_dead centre _**between the two?

Clearly, he had made bigger mistakes throughout the years, but this error of positioning himself to be the one and only obstacle between life and death for the two, both clearly possessing sincere distaste for each other, was something he truly wished for God's intervenance upon. The serious consenquences of his idea were intense headaches and too many giggling heads turned towards the three.

Yes, shed every tear in sympathy, dear reader.

There came a point in time where Espio could even become impressed with how they hadn't lost their voices yet. Spectacular, even. But such admiration came to close as quickly as it developped. Frankly, he was getting SICK of his vibrating head serving as a means of telecommunication among the two, every insult seeming to transmit into one ear and out the other to the reciever of the comment. Frankly, the time came when it was time to act.

"Shut up."

Espio's demand wasn't a loud one. In fact, it would have been barely audible if you weren't close to him. Yet, it was said in a way that could stop his two companions from continuing their argument and cast their attention towards him. It must have been his low tone, or the command's fearfully sharp edge, that silenced the two.

Jet, who had once learned the hard way to keep his mouth shut around Espio, safely made it his first priority to put some distance between him and the ninja. Because, really, you best not mess with a ninja. Amy, on the other hand, was intrigued by this reaction, blinking and leaning forward to get a better look at his expression. Throughout the weeks, she'd begun to see the developments in truly getting to know someone, coming to know interesting aspects about her lizard friend, such as his passion for music and his need for maple syrup on almost every meal he ate. Today, she'd seen a side of him she never would have imagined; a side of him that was...kind of exciting. Upon seeing his expression, she noted his narrowed gaze, clenched fists, dipped head, and his lips slightly curved upward as a soft growl vibrated up his throat. It was...kind of hot.

"Sorry," Amy then said, smiling when he looked back at her from the corner of his eye.

"Thank you."

Jet's jaw could have caused a natural disaster as it dropped. "That's IT? No punching, no lectures, just THANK YOU!"

Espio's side gaze went to him. "We can arrange things differently."

Jet brought his beak shut, but unwisely let out another outburst when he caught Amy stick her tongue at him in victorious mockery.

"HEY!" He yelled, raising his wing and pointing at her accusingly. "Did you-? She just-! That is so immature, you know that! She-SHE JUST STUCK HER TONGUE OUT AT ME!"

Espio didn't even bother looking at him, stepping forward and making his way towards their next store, Music Planet. Perhaps the only means of salvation in this case was to knock one of them out. It would have to be discrete, as a punching in the mall would cause an uproar. He could probably camouflage, and then he could just push a pressure point, perhaps, and they'd go fainting into his arms and he'd bring them to the nurse's office and go along his merry way.

It was at this very moment in which Espio was curving his body to face them, that Amy and Jet caught sight of something that made them gasp, suddenly captivating their largest interest. Even Jet squealed and ran over to Music Planet's display window glass to look, the two haters smacking their hands and faces onto the presentation frame.

"IT'S FAMILY FORCE 5!" The two exclaimed in sync, their favorite band's newest album almost glistening in pride under the glow of the admirees. The two blinked at each other for a second before beginning to exchange excited agreements about the band. The two began bickering together happily then, looking as if they had been best friends all along.

This was...slightly pathetic. Espio's face dropped into irritated disbelief, shaking his head at the two enemies communicating _without _the intent of murder. It had taken nothing but a lowly and barely noticed cd cover to stop the constant arguing. How ridiculous this was. A few seconds ago, after all, Espio was certain that he'd have to knock one of them out to maintain peaceful conditions on the planet. He _had _to bring a palm to his face, rubbing his temples as his head thumped in pain from the yelling. How _pathetic_.  
He'd never admit that a small grin did creep up his face at the irony of it all.

_VVVVVWVVVVV_

_I know; it's been like, what, two, three months? AND I AM SO SORRY FOR NO UPDATES! It was beyond my control, really. I know what you're thinking, "Ha. Another excuse, Whitney? Have you no shame?" I DO! But my computer crashed! Everything is **gone.**Finished. D-E-S-T-R-O-Y-E-D. ISN'T THAT CRUEL! My music (over 1,000 songs, with Stickie notes on more to download), my videos (awesome amvs and music videos, and comedy and movies that are impossible to find from Youtube), my bookmarks (THE MANGA LINKS! HOW WILL I KNOW WHAT IS BEING UPDATED!), **everything. **Gone. What have I learned from this experience, besides to **always back up your stuff, no matter what**? DON'T buy an Apple computer. E-V-E-R._  
_Anyways, after looking forever for a program on this giant and slow computer, I have updated the shortest chapter thus far (I think). I'm so cruel, I know. BUT I'M SORRY!_  
_**Anyways, I came up with a better title for the story! How does "Carol of Broken Souls" sound?** You'll see later on in the story why the name's pretty good. But what do you, loyal and most likely irritated reader, think? Hm?_  
_And yes, I am a HUGE fan of Family Force 5, and if you have no idea who they are, I DEMAND that you witness their awesomeness. Go! Their Youtube channal is calling!_  
_**Reporting grammar/spelling errors is good.  
**Also, I came up with so many chapter titles, and I had to bring it down to one, obviously, which is, "Best Not Mess with a Ninja." **Here's the list of other things I came up with, if you care:** The Irony of It All, It Took Nothing But a Cd, A Glistening Cd Behind Display Glass, The Centre of the Battlefield, Pink and Green Headaches, It's Worse Than Ripping the Teddy's Arm, Something Worse Than Not Acing a Ninja Exam, The Obstacle Between Life and Death, Right In the Dead Centre, Giggles and Intense Headaches, Sincere Distaste in Action, Murder Intent in Action, Shed Every Tear in Sympathy, Vibrating Heads and Telecommunication, Through One Ear and Out the Other, His Meals Need Maple Syrup, His Means of Salvation, The Cause of Irritated Disbelief, That's So Immature You Know._


	7. Because He Knocked on her Door

Admittably, Knuckles had commited many errors he felt intense remorse over. Not including the multiple times he had caused trouble by falling victim to Eggman's poor acting skills, Knuckles could especially count three specific occassions on which he felt overly inclined to express an apology. On two of such occasions, with the hammering encouragement of an ever-so-righteous Amy, one being the time he had caused Cream to quietly erupt into loud tears, he had approached the affected persons of his conduct and offered his sincere, yet hesitant, atonements. He would rather not have the details unfolded upon the strain and humility it had taken to admit wrongdoing to Sonic (oh! the humiliation!)

This time though, standing on Amy's front porch, and perhaps due to the positive influence of none other than herself on such occassions, he had no back up. With only his courage and his stubborn sense of better judgement, Knuckles would have to bring his fist to her wooden front door. He knew it had been wrong of them to leave Amy out of the party, even from the start, yet he had found no reason to intervene with Sonic's hushed request. Now, however, he realized with a mental sacking, that _of course_ he had reason to retaliate; Amy was his friend! He should have at least stood up for her, covered for her when she entered the home completely oblivious to the arrangements. Had it not been her, after all, who forced him to act upon his sensations of remorse? Had it no been her who, with her strong will, cheered the team on through battle and tough times, even when there was every reason to lose hope?

This recognition had only hit home as they were seeing Tails off, his plane finally packed up and ready to head to his dreams. Amy had come in an admiring act of, not only boldness, but loyalty. She truly was the most special of friends, one whom they never should have pushed aside, and her attendance would have definately - and most certainly did - fabricated a pressuring suspense on her, the entire gang who had been involved in the silence of the party muting into an awkward silence. She had only been welcomed by Tails, the Rabbits and, surprisingly, the Team Chaotix, ever so enthusiastic over her presence. She especially recieved special consideration from Espio, and Sonic's unnerved glare did not pass Knuckles' notice as a result.

Tails was especially touched by her earnest endeavors, giving her a warm embrace and wishing her all the best. Amy looked as if she was going to burst into tears after he left, the silence of specific members seeming like it would enclose her and squeese her to death. Yet, Espio played a curiously significant role in regaining her smiles, and after giving her goodbyes to the Rabbits, was escorted away from the scene, in giggles and smiles, may it be added. Even Knuckles thought better than to mention such; he had never seen Sonic so worked up when Charmy loudly inquired, "Is AMY Espio's secret girl!"

"Who would have thought it?" Vector replied with a laugh, winking at his giggling love interest. "He sure is happier with her around though."

Sonic had dashed off as Charmy began to hum The Wedding March.

Whatever love affairs Amy had become involved in did not vex Knuckles in the least. He could even say he was proud of her finally walking out on Sonic. Really, what struck the guardian was the very fact that she had seen Tails off, despite knowing that the others would be there. Such loyalty was the most admired attribute his clan looked upon. He realized that, truly, it should have been her who was _first _invited to the surprise bash.

He would apologize for his stupidity, it being the least he could do to attone his actions. He knew he wasn't worthy of forgiveness, but he felt he would be unable to live on knowing that he had left such a good friend hanging when she needed someone to hold her up. As he knocked, he could not help but grimace as he suddenly recalled her watering eyes and embarassed frown at the party. Oh, how stupid of him!

The door swung inwards when Amy cheerfully answered. She did not hide her surprise when she noted it was, indeed, Knuckles the echidna at her door, and there was no need to blame her. There had only been one time in his life he had called on her, and that was to ask where Sonic was. Now that he thought of it, Knuckles had never been inside her home, and he felt all the more worthless by the fact.

"Knuckles?" Amy exclaimed. "What are _you _doing _here_?"

Knuckles was doing his best to appear composed, his eyes closed and arms crossed. In actuallity, he was _hating _the suspense. "I...need to talk to you."

"Oh...okay..." Amy's reply was nervous, her gaze hovering to his shoes. She feared the matter he wished to approach involved a confirmation to their inability to care for her anymore, and to finally conclude their friendship as terminated. "Come in."

For the first time since their wavering friendship began, Knuckles stepped into her small dwelling, taking in the indescribable scent Amy possessed, that always somehow renewed intense cravings for strawberries. The living room appeared from behind the small wall at the entrance after a mere step or so, its furniture pleasingly matching the peaceful colors that painted the walls throughout the open rooms and hallway. Opposite the living room was her pleasant kitchen, and it was clear to Knuckles that he may want to stay a bit longer to find out what was coming out of her oven. Between the two open rooms, well brightened by the sun through the fair amount of windows, was the hallway, no doubt leading to the bathroom, closet, bedroom and an extra room, which Knuckles noted due to the third large door. He followed Amy into the living room, satisfied with her choices in home decor. He had always imagined the house would be either pink or blue, or at least dominated by Sonic pillows, posters, and other fan-based stupidity.

"Um, Knuckles?" Amy quietly addressed, to which he looked at her. "Could you, please, leave your shoes at the door? I just vacuumed..."

She had gathered a terrible amount of courage to ask this simple request, already aware of the frustration she believed she already caused, not wanting him to het angry and despise her all the more. Knuckles, however, felt embarassed, ashamed of his lack of regard for hospitality and house manners. _Of course _you take your shoes of at an entrance of someone's home! He would slap himself if he was alone.

"Uh, yeah, sorry." He was already pulling his shoes off as he hopped one-legged back to the door, tripping slightly at one point and rushing a hand to the wall for support. He finished his task as soon as he could, shrugging his shoulders back and puffing out his chest as he walked back to her, looking as calm and cool as ever. Amy brought a hand over her stiffled giggles, his clumsy efforts not escaping her entertained notice, and politely gestured for him to sit down. He complied, civilly turning down the offer of her to fetch a refreshment. She sat down next to him on the sofa, facing him, and waited for him to begin talking. She brought her knees, warmly covered by her striped knee-long socks, to her chest as he unscrambled inner routes for his courage to gather. He had visualised the scene to pass more easily than he found it to be, and he let each second pass to postpone his apology. The words were caught in his throat, pulling against his endeavor to let the them slide from his tongue. He took a few deep breaths discreetly before finally taking on the conquest, but his opened mouth brought nothing but a sigh.

"So, uh..." Amy finally said, the silence becoming too unbearable for her. "What did you want to talk to me about, Knux?"

She tried to be as casual as possible, not wanting to push him too hard, covering how badly she wanted to burst into tears and scream at her visitor every insult she could muster.

"Well, uh..." He spared a quick glance at her, seeing in an instant the very same expression she had worn when at the party, only with a hint of fear. Though she could only feel disdain for his cruel actions, she knew she did not wish to lose his friendship. She treasured him enough to look past the areas in which he was lacking, enough to put all of this behind her and start anew. She could only pray that he would leave her home with the same conclusion.

Her hesitation was what compelled him to speak, able to see that his shut lips were what began pushing them towards goodbye. "I came to apologize."

Her back straightened and her eyes widened. "About what?"

"About the party." He leaned forward, enjoining his palms before him and elbows weighing into his theighs as he stared at the white carpet below his feet. "We were wrong to not invite you. Wrong, unthoughtful, and plain stupid. You deserve so much more. You had more right than anyone to be at that party. I can't imagine how betrayed and alone you must have felt, I just had to say sorry. Really, Amy, we all care for you. Really, we do."

He paused to look at her, instantly regretting the notion as he began to freak out. She had her fist brought up to her trembling chin as her eyes shimmered with tears. Her other fist clentched her long shoulder-hanging shirt over her leggings. Just as any other male, he truly couldn't handle tears.

"Hey!" he desperately exclaimed. "Don't cry! I'm sorry, kay? I admitted it, no? I'm sorry! Stop-"

He didn't expect her to squeal tearfully and wrap her arms around his neck into a tight embrace. Knuckles had never been a touchy person, so the action brought him to a panicked confusion.

"Thank you, Knuckles!" she cried into his chest. "Thank you."

Finally, he smiled and brought his own arms around her, joining the hug in appreciation. He felt proud of himself for facing this challenge and punching it in the face, proud of his sense of justice, proud that, with _his _initiative, he saved their relationship. Now, not only in possibility of continuation, but also of improvement, their friendship was renewed, and the two shared this thought in silent delight. He had not expected such a heartfelt reply from Amy, but such did not matter. She possessed an admiring personality and good will, and Knuckles had finally come to establish how vital her presence was in his life.

For a striking moment, he thought of the consenquences that would have befell had he not ocme to her front door. He wouldn't have been able to bear living in the world knowing how far he'd left her hanging. The thought scared him, made him shudder, when he imagined this loving soul casted from them. Now, at least, she had him to depend on, and the position could only make him smile.

For a while, they remained in their embrace, but Amy eventually pulled away wiping her tears with a smile.

"Thank you, again, Knuckles," she repeated. Then she frowned slightly. "If you don't mind my asking, though, why'd you do it?"

Knuckles bit his lip, his composure noticeably deteriorating at the question.

"It's Sonic, isn't it?"

He looked at her, her pained tone resting in the air. With a saddened sigh, he nodded. The air remained heavy as the two quietly dwelt on this factor. Amy had accepted her unrequited love already, yet this hurt her just as much as it had then. The worst possible situation had come to be acknowledged: she was living in this world, and he thought ill of her. The notion, unbearable as it was, pained her to an untouchable extent, and for a moment she wondered just how it was possible to bear living day by day in such a circumstance. New tears were made manifest, and Knuckles knew not what to do but watch her sympathetically.

She could manage, she knew. She'd live on, and she would slowly clean Sonic's presence away from her memories, one painful sweep at a time, and one day - one unforeseeable day - she would move on. With a smile, she raised her green eyes again to Knuckles.

"The brownies are just about to come out of the oven!"

He grinned.

* * *

EDIT: I was re-reading this, and realized that I had given Amy a blue couch and red living room. I am undescribably perplexed by this situation, because if something doesn't match for me, I freak out. (That's why I hate going to the homes of certain people...) and SO! Let us assume that her couch is black, walls are red, and her kitchen is creamish. ALL RIGHT?

Yes, dear readers, I am not dead. Merely busy, emotional, tired, and with a serious case of a cold. Nonetheless, you should thank such circumstances, because throughout my six days bed-bound in an unbearable displeasure of aching throats, blocked noses, and intense bags under my eyes, I was able to finally complete my reading of Pride and Prejudice and Princess Ben, and I have to say that even I see a remarkable improvement in my literary abilities after reading one of the most celebrated novels in the English language. Now a whole lot of ideas are bustling in my head, and, who knows, a novel might come of it. Nonetheless, I was able to successfully complete this chapter, it being my third attempt.

Anyways, I googled the word "grimace" to make sure I spelt it right. I did, and I also discovered that it is the name of a Mc Donalds Playland character. Haha!

**reporting grammar and spelling errors is good.**

After much conflict, I concluded this chapter to be named "Because He Knocked on her Door." I find it romantically appropriate. Hee hee. Thus the commence of the romantic affairs of Amy and Knuckles unfolds! Other titles I've come up for this chapter is as follows: She Smells Like Strawberries, **Colorful Striped Knee-High Socks, **She Brings Him to Panicked Confusion


	8. Storage Chest of Pictures and Bracelets

OMG! I know, right! It's been F-O-R-E-V-E-R! But I'm still here! And so is Vanishing Thorns! So here is the longest chapter I have ever written, consisting of a good 4,700 words. enjoy! This one is quite intense, I think.

* * *

**Storage Chest of Pictures and Bracelets**

These days, Amy could finally see how hard work truly paid off. Her newly constructed relationships with Espio and Jet, in addition to her finely enhanced friendship with Knuckles, proved to her just how spectacular life could be. Sure, the guy she loved more than life itself seemed to resent her loathingly, but she had beautiful and lasting companionships that filled in those gaps. She paid plenty of visits to Cream and Vanilla, both offering much needed support and association, kept generously in touch with Tails, who was ever so proud to explain his newest enhancements and projects at every given occasion, and she had met plenty of new ones as she worked at the adolescent-infested mall.

Amy could therefore justly conclude herself to be hovering in one of the most blissful time frames of her life. She could not recall of a time where she felt more at peace with herself, her constant inner battles over her persistent pursuit of Sonic's love finally having subsided behind the overpowering satisfaction of her social life. Finally possessing the ability to seek happiness on her own initiative, she found herself never at home, always busy. She rarely had a chance to sit down on her own, and when she did, she craved being with people. She saw herself maturing into someone she loved and was proud of, feeling fantastic and jumpy with satisfaction. In fact, she even claimed that she no longer wished to see Sonic the hedgehog ever again.

Try as she may, though, old habits die hard.

She would currently be found in her humble domain, frowning angrily at a photo of the blue heartbreaker himself. She towered before a large, blue chest that was filled with bracelets, grad pictures, and small memories from the past, contemplating as to whether or not she should add this photo in her hands to the collection of items left to disintegrate.

This picture had utmost importance in comparison with every other photo of him she had. Here, her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as she wore an overwhelming smile. He, on the other hand, was clearly tense under her hold, and yet there was almost a smile at his lips. It had been this picture, carefully framed and gently placed on her bedside table, that had renewed her desperate hope for so many years, for so many teary nights where she was ready to vow that she'd let him go forever. Because, somewhere in that secluded expression of his, Amy could read a silent mutuality, it being the smallest - yet largest - of signs that everything would work out one day. Putting this photo away meant putting her hopes, dreams, and goals down with it. All of her heartfelt endeavors and promises, everything she had been living for, would come to nothing.

It was too big of a step, she finally concluded, sighing in defeat as she gently pressed the frame on the desk - well, of what she could find of it through all of the junk. She was frustrated with herself, angry with her undying dependence, so much to the point that her eyes began to itch with forming tears. Shaking her head, she resolved to keep herself busy and her mind occupied, therefore beginning to organize her untouched computer room - she had no use of it, really - that was rather uncared for. On the floor were clothes she never wore and objects she never cared for - Oh! That was Cream's favorite sweater! - which dominated not only the floor, but also the desk, the book cases, and the shelves. This room was better referred to as a junk garage, and such truth stuck Amy into a panicked action performer.

Later on into the afternoon, the room had begun to look half decent. Amid her efforts, every-so-often Amy would pass by the room's body-sized mirror that still called to be hooked onto the wall, and she would subconsciously begin to fiddle with her quills. She had started the day wearing a decent bun, but after rampaging through braids, pig tails, and fancy up-do's, she finally resolved to a cute pony tail hanging off her shoulder. She was ready to change it at another pass of the mirror later on, but she never had the chance.

"Uh, hey! Amy?"

Amy's eyes widened at herself in the mirror. Suddenly her mouth was dry, her knees were weak, and her palms were sweaty, because the very man responsible for a good third of her problems had just waltzed right into her home. She began to panic and ran in a circle a few times with her hands in her quills, afterwards settling again in front of the mirror at another call.

"Coming!" she squealed, fluffing her hair up a bit. She tightened her pony tail, then loosened it. Then tightened it again.

"Amy?"

"Just a minute!"

She straightened her long, striped tank-top over her skinny jeans and turned to a conveniently placed Armani perfume bottle on one of the shelves. She grabbed it and sprayed some a little too close, causing her to let out a small cough or two. Then she stopped. Didn't she _promise _not to care?

"Amy?" She could hear Sonic's foot tapping against the wood floor. Amy growled at his impatience. She _didn't _care, she thought. She was just showing him what he was missing!

Stepping out into the corridor, the pink hedgehog pretended to be in absolute oblivion as to who was beckoning her. Feigning surprise when she caught sight of him, she exclaimed, "Oh! Sonic! What brings you here?" Really though, what?

Posting on a brilliantly faked smile, Amy gave the impression that she had completely forgotten about his stupidity and selfish inconsideration. Beneath it however, no one could doubt that she wanted to strangle him and tell him to go jump off of a bridge. Problem was that he could, and he would live to tell the tale.

"H-Hey, Amy." He played the same game, smacking on the best he could manage of a smile and doing a small wave. It was more difficult for him to remain casual though, because the suspense was pushing down terribly on both of them. "What's up?"

_Oh, not much, Sonic. I mean, after crying my heart out for three months, I have finally met people worth giving a darn for. Even better; I have finally come to see just how much of a loser you are and I am ready to move on without you weighing me down. _

Yes, these were the words she didn't dare to say, instead leaving them on her heart for the sake of modesty. "Ah, not much, I guess," she replied instead, bringing her finger to her chin. "I mean, I _have _been super busy."

She wanted to tell him how fulfilled her life had become since he was booted out of it. Perhaps he would get the message through seasoned words?

"Yeah?" he answered. "That's...That's great."

Did she sense disappointment? Had she succeeded? Or was she merely entertaining such thoughts?

"How about you, Sonic?" _Has your life become nothing but a downward spiral of diminishing expectations? Have you finally come to see the gap in your life since i'm not in it anymore?_

"Yeah, uh, doing great."

And yes, the inevitable happened where awkward silence welcomed itself into the conversation, and the two hedgehogs shuffled through their thoughts for something worthwhile and fireproof to say. It was such quietude that Amy found to be the most unbearable, almost as bad as voiced rejection, because it was the ringing nothingness that screamed the truth, just as it had at Tails' party. And she didn't want to hear it right now.

"Do you want anything?" she asked, the inquiry coming out almost like a croak. "Juice? Tea? Chilidogs?"

Sonic swiped his hand through his quills. "Nah. I'm good."

Amy bit her lip and looked down at her bare feet. "Then what do you want?" She swayed from her toes to her heels.

He looked up at her. "Um, well, actually, I wanted to talk to ya 'bout somethin'."

She raised her gaze, head still angled to the floor. "Oh?" Here it came.

"Yeah. Listen, Ames. We kinda hit it off kinda bad back at the party," You don't say? "but I guess we shoulda talked it out, or somethin'. But, anyways, how 'bout we just forgive and forget about the whole thing and shake hands on it, huh?" With a grin, he reached out his hand, waiting for her to finish the amendment.

She blinked and straightened up. Actually, none of that had sounded right at all, especially how he had kept accenting the 'we', which was _NOT _part of the equation. That had sounded _nothing _like an apology.

"What are you saying, exactly?" She raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

In answer, Sonic blinked in surprise and brought his reached-out hand through his quills again. "Well, I mean that we forget about this whole dilemma." He looked back at her expectantly.

Hadn't this sort of scenario happened before, where he would do her wrong but would never admit it? Out of his mouth, it had always been a two-way street in the wrong, never just him crashing into her lane. Was he thinking that this situation would be handled just as carelessly as she had allowed it to before, as unmoving as every other past occurrence, where she would do just as he said for the sake of his not being angry with her? Was she going to let this keep going in circles, where nothing is accomplished?

Amy then could see how easily Sonic would manipulate her in the past, shrinking her with just a wink in order to get what he wanted. He probably didn't even realize it either; he was a good guy with a great heart and would never mean injustice to anyone. No, he was just an idiot, too scared of his own feelings to consider anything else. He was an idiot to who she would always succumb to in any and every situation.

In the past, many disagreements had been raised between the two, where Sonic's remarks would spark Amy's disapproval and she would voice the usually correct perspective. Next thing anyone knew, arguments were cultivated, Sonic's need to be right and to be heard clashing into Amy's need to justify - and also be right. They were both just too stubborn and too inexperienced. To on-lookers, their controversies were over the smallest and most humorously insignificant of things. Because, really? Was there any reason to argue whether a woman's shirt was really navy blue or black? But, of course there was. Because lovers cared to let what they have to say be known.

Before, though, there had always come a point where things were becoming too hectic for either of their comfort zones. At some point, Amy would admit that the shirt was black, not willing to risk the potential feelings Sonic could have for her for her thoughts. He would always give her 'that' look, and that was it. He won. Always.

Just not this time. It had taken her too long to see that her feelings and thoughts were just as valuable as what she felt for Sonic; more important, even. She had jeopardized her own emotions for too many years just to please a guy who cared for only himself and his shoes. And this wasn't about black or pink or navy blue. This was about his seriously hurting her and getting her best friends to help him. This included everything she had lived for, everything she had fought and cared for. He had no right to seclude her right just to please himself. None.

On another note, _how _in the world of Mobius had he managed to shift the blame? As if _she _brought these problems upon herself willfully? He should have been on his _knees_, _begging _for mercy. Because it had been him. It had been _all _him.

"What do you mean by 'we', Sonic?" Amy hissed, crossing her arms in front of her chest and cocking her chin.

He eyed her, feeling her tension increase fearfully. "Well, I mean, it's best we put this behind us?"

"I see no reason for a plural pronoun, Sonic," Amy growled back. "See, _I _have done _nothing _wrong! No, it was only _YOU!" _

"Amy." His brow knit and his voice began to have some edge. Today, that didn't faze her, and it never would again.

"_NO_, Sonic. For once, listen to what _I_ have to say. For years, I've been chasing you like a mindless idiot, driven only by my uncalled-for feelings for you." He was taken aback at this, surprised that she expressed such anger about what she felt for him. "But you have always disregarded my emotions for nothing but brainless fan-girl obsession. Or maybe you did know that I was sincere, but you didn't give a darn!" He made an effort to contradict, raising his voice higher, but she would not have it. "Using my most sincere and utmost feelings, you manipulated me into having things always go your way!"

"That's not true!"

"And you've _HURT_ me! You've hurt me so bad, so many times!" She brought a fist to her chest.

"I-"

"But I can forgive you for it!" she cried, tears stinging her eyes as she softened her voice into a plea. "I can get over it. I just need to hear you say that you're sorry."

"_I'M _sorry?" Sonic raised his voice louder than Amy liked, causing her to flinch. She stayed her ground though." You know, Amy, I've _tried _my best, okay? I've tried to make you happy, tried to kindly turn down whatever marriage proposal you stuffed down my throat. But you never gave me my space! You were always trying to get into my head and my life and get me to give up what I _live _for! I _hated _that!"

"Sonic, I haven't seen you for four months, and haven't chased you for six. This isn't what this is about. And may I remind you that _YOU _walked into _MY _home! But you know what? If what I did as a child pissed you off so much, then I'm sorry! Sorry for being a kid without a family and without anything else to live for! Sorry!"

The air was heavy as their voices pounded through the house. Never before had they fought like this, neither of them with anyone. As hurtful their speech may have been, their hushed-up emotions had to be lit up; they had to flare. As inexperienced as they were, and as much regret and hurt they would feel after, their feelings had to be known. They could not let what they would never say boil them down and ruin whatever they might have been. A better chance they had like this, than with no words at all.

"Oh, yeah. Like _that _was sincere," Sonic snarled, crossing his arms.

"Maybe you should give it a try, huh? Like an apology for what you did at Tails' party!"

"Oh! So _THAT'S _what this is about!" Sonic threw his hands in the air and shook his head. "Typical! Of course it's what all of this is about! Just 'cause you're pissed about something like that!"

"How about you consider how I felt!" She kept her teary glare locked on him as he paced back and forth in frustration. "When I walked in there, it was quite obvious to see that no one wanted me there. As if that wasn't enough, no one got up and greeted me, no one jumped in and ended the whole awkward scene, and no one came to see me for at least two months! Do you have any idea how much that _hurts_, to be standing in a room filled with your closest and most trustworthy friends, and to not be wanted by _any _of them? To see that the guy you're in love with wants you to leave?"

He tsked and shook his head, again swiping his hand through his quills. Amy's chin rumbled as she bit her lip, and she quickly wiped a fallen tear from her cheek.

"I've tried so hard to let it go," she choked. "I've tried to think that maybe you made some mistake or had a _really _good reason to not invite me and to not help me out. But I can't just let it go, like I've been letting everything else slide for my entire life. Look at where that has brought me." She waved a hand at him, then wrapped her arms around herself. "Sonic, _please_." She was crying now, bringing her wrists to her eyes to soak the falling tears and softening Sonic's frown as he stopped pacing. "Just tell me you're sorry. That's all I need to hear."

Her sniffs and small gasps between sobs broke through the silence. Sonic looked down and shuffled his quills, feeling more hurt than anything. It was as if each fallen tear was a stab to his heart, causing it to throb painfully and make him want to cry himself. He hated this. He hated the fighting, hated her tears, and he hated how great she smelled, because his head was going crazy and he had no idea what was going on with him. He was pissed off, mostly with himself, and felt used, as if she was controlling him with her cries. He hated how he was ready to admit defeat, just because tiny drops of H2O were falling from her eyes.

"Maybe I'm not the one to blame, here?" he muttered, still gazing at the stain on the floor. He was irked with himself when he found himself knowing how Amy would flip when she noticed it herself.

"_You _are the one who _ORGANIZED_ the stupid thing!" Still crying, she expressed her frustration and anger at his refusal to humbly admit his wrong. A simple 'sorry' couldn't be that hard!

"Everyone agreed to it!"

"That's not the point! All I want from _YOU_ is an apology! _Knuckles _said he was sorry! Knuckles!"

This snapped a different nerve on Sonic's part. He felt a sudden fury at the mention of his best friend's name, a jealous anger over the fact that his hot-headed friend was brought up in this argument. In an instant, his entire demeanor changed and the drift of the conversation altered.

"Knuckles, huh?" He chuckled darkly, receiving a confused frown from his companion. "Man, Ames. You've really been doing your rounds, huh?"

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Heh. First me, and who could be any better than world-known hero Sonic the hedgehog, right?"

"Wha-"

"But that didn't work out, so Espio is next on the list. Espio, _of all people._ At the very same time, you've been goofing off with that snot-colored beak brain. Now it's _Knuckles?_ Who's next, Amy? _Shadow?" _

Amy clenched her fists and her teeth, absolutely repulsed by such insults. Not only were they based off of insufferably false reasoning, they were cruelly hurtful. Was he calling her a whore? He was being beyond disrespectful, and much worse rude.

"You-How _DARE _you!" She stomped right up to him, face wet from tears and brow knit, and jabbed her finger at his chest. He leaned back slightly, almost regretful. "You have no right to say those things about me _OR _my friends! All I want is a bloody apology! Why the _HELL_ is that so hard! Just say it, dammit! Just apologize!"

His eyes flashed and he yelled back at her, "I have no reason to excuse myself if I just didn't want you there!"

And suddenly they were right in each other's faces, eyes locked angrily, and their breath colliding and molding into each other's. Their eyes never parting, their scowls fell. Something was happening there, they could see, but Amy was hurt. As intimate as their silence had been, and as heavy as the sparks were, Sonic had admitted to a killing truth. Her composure started to subside, falling into shock and pain at his words. Finally Sonic got his act together and breathed in heavily- he hadn't realized that he was holding his breath.

"Amy," he croaked, hoping there was any possible way in Chaos to take back his words at that second. She was backing away though, bringing her arms around herself into an embrace. Who else would comfort her? "I-I didn't mean that, Amy!" He reached his hand out, grabbing her elbow. "I really didn't-"

"Just go," she whispered, turning her back to him.

"Amy, I-"

"Just _GO, _Sonic!" She whirled around with heavy and streaming tears and an angry, torn frown. "I'm _DONE_ with this! Finished! I am NOT letting you hurt me like this anymore! So get out! If you have nothing good to offer for my life, it's best you get out of it!"

Slowly, his eyes widened and his mouth opened. Suddenly, he was ready to cry. Inhaling sharply, he switched his gaze between the floor and her a few times, then hesitantly turned to the door. Amy watched him, heart pounding and tears storming, as her heart screamed for her to take it all back and beg him to stay. She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, but she knew better. This _had _to stop. She needed to get on with her life without him. His hand reached the door handle and she brought her hand to her mouth and muffled her tears, and Sonic's heart began to pound, as if he were performing a feat so dangerous, so damaging, that it meant his life. And it sure felt that way. He panicked, because he suddenly realized that this was a final goodbye and that he would never be able to see her again. He whipped around and faced her, his expression voicing pure desperation.

"Amy, wait. Please, just gimme another chance. I'm sor-"

She shut her eyes in a pained grimace. "Sonic, _please_."

Allowing the final moment of silence to ring, Sonic finally obliged, shutting the door behind him and everything Amy had lived for.

Amy gawked at the door in horror, then ran to it and clamped her hands onto the knob, ready to turn it and call Sonic back and apologize and say everything was a lie and that she never meant any of it. She was shaking, utterly terrified of what had just taken place. She couldn't _believe _she had told him get out of her life! Because of her, they would never talk to each other again!

She turned the knob half way, but better judgment prevented her. This _had_ to stop. She knew it! This up and down bipolar relationship was breaking her down. And so, though it broke her heart in a zillion shards, she let go of the handle. This was for a better her. This relationship had come down to a choice between her and what he wanted of her and, falling onto her knees in resonant tears, she knew she had made the right decision. She leaned her head against the door, kneeling before it with storming emotions.

She would never see him again. Sure, he'd be on television, and maybe, if life was cruel enough, they would cross paths sometimes. But their lives would never merge or brush again. They were to be nothing towards each other. Forever, they were to remain indifferent to each other's lives, and Amy would eternally remain tormented with the thought that maybe he had felt just as torn as she did.

No matter what though, their fight had showed how they could never work out. They were both too stubborn, both so inexperienced, so nothing but slammed doors and too many tears could result. They had no way to accomplish the impossible, and a relationship farther than friends - acquaintances now - was beyond such. Her heart was obliterated, but she had kept trying to climb in hope that things could get better. But even if they did, any progress was washed away with the rain, and they would be much farther behind point one than they had been before. Her heart would burst if they kept at it, and she would burst with it. If he couldn't do something like a small apology, she was better off without him.

Amy's shoulders heaved from the weight of her tears, her cries echoing through her home as she turned and leaned her back against the door. She was immensely tormented. Of all the insufferable competencies he'd put her through, this argument truly marked the point of it being unbearable. He had ripped off of her heart the largest of scabs, and so roughly had he done so that it would take the longest time to heal again. Cruelly, he had insulted her without any success in making amends. Instead, he had cracked down their relationship to absolute termination. How can someone be so heartless?

Weak at her knees, Amy finally rose after many minutes of crying, and she struggled back to the computer room. Her inhales were short and sharp as she would repeatedly wipe her nose and eyes with her gloved hands. She stopped in front of her mirror, staring back at the mess Sonic had made her become. Eyes red, face wet, Amy's chin rumbled and she again broke into a new series of cries, bringing her palms to her eyes and weeping her heart out. She stood as such for over five minutes, engulfed by dread and heartbreak. Heart pierced with anguish, she could not believe her love to be gone. Such turmoil and unbearable heartache came upon her to such an extent that she was certain she would die. She would never stop crying. Forever, she would be numb with such emotional disorder, untouched by the world around her. Every good aspect of her life was now overshadowed by the pain she experienced now. She became glued into an emotional darkness without even a peak of light. She felt so alone, so betrayed, so unloved...She would never recover.

Still gasping, nose still running, and tears still puddling her sight, she staggered to her chest and picked up the photo. Looking at it, she brought her hand over her lips and cried some more. It was over. He hated her, and she now meant nothing to the one thing that meant life to her. Everything was over.

Chest heaving amid her sobs, Amy embraced the frame one last time, clutching it as close to her heart she could manage. Hands shaking, she slipped it into the chest. She gazed at it, never allowing her eyes to part from it as she slowly shut the chest. Finally, it disappeared.

Sayonara, Sonic the hedgehog.

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**Reporting spelling errors = goodness**

AHHHHHH! UPDATES! Yes, yes, I know. It's just, my life has been so crazy. Mc Donalds is overworking me, my ex-friend is messing with my head, all of my friends have proms, I have exams, volunteer work of teaching the truth about the Bible, driving lessons, Summer, and my social life is at its peak.

Despite all of this, though, I have written the entire story line for this story. Yes, it took over 5 hours to do, and many tries, but as I re-read the story line, I can assure you; this story is intense. :D

I put in a few simularities with my other stories in this one. See if you can find them

This chapter, as you saw, seriously accents Amy's controversy over letting Sonic go officially. It shows how conflicted she is on that decision, but finally realizes that she needs to make that step.

I know Sonic may look like a jerk, but that was not in my intentions. I couldn't put in a lot of his perspective in this chapter because I wanted to solely focus on Amy, but Sonic's side of the chapter will be shared. He isn't as bad as I may have portrayed him to be; I tried to ease it up by hinting what he felt here and there.

**Other titles i came up with**: The Pursuit of Happiness; It's Like Moving Mountains; Up-Do's, Braids, and Pig-Tails; Downward Spiral of Diminishing Expectations; Silence Screams the Truth; Outside the Comfort Zone; To Think and to Feel; Armani Perfume Bottles

**Thank you so much for your patience! You guys are amazing!**


	9. Delicate, Breakable, and Shattered

**Delicate, Breakable, and Shattered**

It had been weeks since the fight. Even so, each day renewed impacting turmoil upon Amy, just as it had the day she had pushed Sonic and her heart out of the door. Since that day, she steered clear of anyone and everyone's companionship, preferring isolation in contrast. She knew better than to resolve to such—she herself would have never recommended such a course of action to anyone. Nonetheless, she felt no desire to make any more efforts to better her situation. It had always been her reaching out after all, taking the first steps to cross bridges to the other persons, and look at the results! Her heart was broken beyond repair. She was done trying. Tails had been wrong all along.

Speaking of which, Tails had texted her multiple times and left plenty of messages throughout the weeks. He knew something was up, even though he wasn't around to see her so shattered.  
_Amy_, read one text, _are you alright? You haven't been answering my messages or texts. Is Sonic being an idiot again? Please tell me, Amy. I care for you, more than you know. I want to help you. You can tell me anything that is on your mind. Please answer. _

There were quite a few other messages of the like, many of them accenting how much he cared for her. His regards were thoughtful, though barely uplifting in her times of distress. She would have been touched, but her heart was numbed and her thoughts were central to her heartbreak. She didn't have the strength to tell him either, for she was sure to just cry and cry and cry and the ending of her relationship with Sonic would be definate for sure because it would be coming from her very lips. Besides, what she had to say could not be explained through messages. After all, there were too many ways to read just a single sentence. It was something that had to be said face-to-face, but even then she didn't want to talk about it. He had done so much for her already anyways; she thought it better that he focused on his educational life, try to get a girlfriend, start going to parties-stuff like that. He had to focus on the future, not on her.

On too many occasions, Amy had kneeled before her blue chest with the intention of taking Sonic's picture out. "Just for a glance," she would tell herself, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Just one touch would rekindle her past efforts to pursue his affections again. She knew better. She had come to see that their relationship was like glass; delicate and breakable. Now, all that remained of them were thousands of battered fragments lying around. It was best to leave it broken than to hurt herself more trying to put it back together.

This fact _killed _her. For too long, Amy's life concentrated exclusively on her despair, overshadowing any potential goodness behind it. There was not even a brim of hope she believed, and nor did she feel compelled to search for it. She doubted that she'd be able to cope much longer. It came to the point where she was beginning to believe that her separation from Sonic was no longer a painful necessity but the stupidest thing she had ever done in her life and oh god! she was such an idiot and she needed him back in her life. Her trashed heart blinded her proper sense of judgment and had ruined her routine and wellbeing immensely. Her beliefs and expectations regarding love had diminished considerably with every passing day, Sonic's actions and words having deprived of her every ounce of hope potentially possible. She was pained to an unbearable extent, coming to mourn so awfully that she couldn't do anything fulfilling.

Life seemed bleak.

Espio found her sobbing on her sofa amid a sea of tissues one afternoon. He quietly observed her unkept home and wretched state, frowning sympathetically. He could relate to her hurt, after all. His mind flashed back to his worsened state when Bella suddenly gave him the cold shoulder without a cause. He had worried his friends terribly as he resolved to overindulgence in alcohol, sleep, and smoking. What a sad way he had handled himself, he thought. With empathy, Espio was able to relate to the female's situation. It was pitifully impossible to look past her conditions either—her gloominess resonated even to bystanders, Jet had told him. Obviously the blue hedgehog had done something disagreeable, only on a larger extent than usual.

Amy paused amid her sobs to glance up at Espio as he sat himself down next to her after strategically ninja-hopping around her living room to avoid puddles of snot-infested tissues.

"Amy," he greeted. "I see you are not doing too well."

She blinked, then suddenly fell back down into her pillow and wailed loudly, crying some more. She cried so hard she felt as though her insides were going to pour out of her. Her sides hurt as she sobbed, but it was uncontrollable and she just couldn't stop. She looked just as awful as she felt; eyes red, face damp, clothes baggy, and quills untamed. He began to rub her back consolingly for a couple of minutes until she quieted down a bit. He would have never imagined such cries from Amy, and her condition hurt him and quenched at his chest. Softly, he inquired of her situation.

He had some way that attracted people to him, compelled others to want to pour their deepest, darkest secrets and miseries to him and just cry on his shoulder. And he would just sit and listen, shoulder every bit you gave him, and wouldn't judge even if you had the sickest and evilest mind in the Universe. Amy felt just that way, touched especially by his initiative and interest in her wellbeing. She didn't think twice as she began to cry to him the entire scene that had happened in her very hallway, the event that concluded her most precious relationship and life-course in her existence, and with every cried exclamation she felt a piece of a weight lift off her back.

"I can relate from experience that, no matter what efforts I may make in order to provide comfort and ease your pain, all words are ineffective," he told her delicately at her conclusion, and his voice radiated into her head and calmed her heart. She sat up and blew her nose as he continued, hand still on her back. "Though I can understand your desire to spend your time of grief here, alone, I know that it will be damaging to you and your recovery. You need to seek out entertainment, be with friends, and forget about him. You need to remember that you are perfectly capable of living happily on your own, without him. I do not ask you to do this over night—this will only come in to affect with time. Meanwhile though, please, I beg you," and his whispered plea somehow soothed her bleeding heart, "depend on me, Amy, and let me stand for you."

She looked up at him and stared into his golden eyes. Who it was who fell in to the other's embrace, she didn't remember. Only with time would she think back. Perhaps who made that move didn't matter though; he had been there, and she had needed him, and nothing else mattered. It was as though his request stitched up her split heart and became the medicine that would slowly help her heart to recover. Years from now, Amy would look back at this moment and smile because, really, it was him that had saved her. It had been him that had reached down in to her pit of despair and pulled her out, who had introduced her to a world so unlike her own, so fulfilling and happy. It had been him that had his arms around her, whispering little condolences and 'it's-all-rights' and gently converting her want of isolation. As a result, she tearfully agreed to accompany him to meet his friends – ones that would soon become hers as well, he told her. And she continued to cry and cry, knowing that he would support her in these dire times of need.

* * *

I am terribly sorry for not having updated for such a terribly long time! My life is so busy and motivation is scarce. My deepest and most sincere apologies, not only for the lack of updates but also for the lack of quality in this chapter. Definitely not my best, but this is basically an update to say that I have not neglected my duties as a fanfiction writer and shows how lacking my inspiration is at the time. Again, I am so sorry. I am doing everything I can to update. Maybe I should aim to update every two weeks? I dunno. But some good news: I am working on the next chapter. Organizing the plot line for it.

**reporting spelling and grammar errors = goodness and happiness and, maybe, quicker updates? )**

Alternative titles: Push Your Heart Out the Door; **Shattered Hearts; Seas of Tissues**; Just a Glance; **Thousands of Battered Fragments**; **Let Me Stand For You**; She Knew Better; Don't Forget Me; **More Than You Know; Just One Touch; A Relationship Like Glass; Leave It Broken**; Blinded Judgments and Broken Hearts; **Strategical Ninja Hopping; Untamed Quills, Red Eyes, and a Broken Heart;** Whispered Pleas and Soothed Hearts; Stitches in a Bleeding Heart


	10. Treadmills and Strawberry Milkshakes

I was really dissatisfied with the last two chapters. You may have noticed that my heart was really not into it. I decided to replace it with this one, and as consequence have revised the entire story line. And I'm really excited about it now. ^^ I'm so excited for you guys to read the next two chapters. Seriously, you have no idea. :D

Enjoy!

* * *

**Treadmills and Strawberry Milkshakes**

Three months had passed, and not a single word had been exchanged between Amy Rose and Sonic the hedgehog.

Last she heard, Sonic was heading towards the northern equator, battling Eggman in his latest scheme. Tails had been granted permission from his school to take time off to go with him, so the two were off saving the world together. The fox had called Amy to let her know, but was shocked to hear of the recent developments between the two hedgehogs. For the first time in Amy's life, she heard Tails swear, and then he went on to apologize for Sonic's insolence and asked of her wellbeing.

"I'm doing okay," she had told him, leaning against her kitchen counter. "I've been busy, keeping my mind off of it. And my friends have been really supportive."

Espio had been true to his words. He had been the most understanding, allowing her to use his shoulders to cry on whenever she needed. He had seen himself in her turmoil, and out of regret that no one had helped him, he helped her. Though she was initially quite hesitant, she had allowed him to drag her out of her home and to get to know more people, among them being one she initially had immense distaste for.

Amy had never really liked Rouge, even at the first glance. Secretly, she couldn't stand how pretty and mature the bat was compared to her. Rouge was full of confidence and glamour, _and _she had a body every man would succumb to. Rouge was gorgeous, and she could be even more so without a truckload of makeup and a bit more decency to cover up all that she got…which Amy was jealous of because _somehow _the bat's boobs didn't sag like heavy grocery bags. To top it all off, Rouge made no efforts to bite back her retorts and opinions, and at each encounter, Rouge had plenty of those to offer.

The two had argued quite a bit at first, especially when Rouge became aware of the new and improved relationship between Amy and Knuckles. The girls were both _very _opinionated and just as loud. Espio was reminded of when he made the mistake of being around Amy and Jet when they first met, for the girls would _not _quit their bickering.

What Amy was not aware of, however, was that Rouge also felt insecure when around the hedgehog. The bat surreptitiously envied Amy's carefree spirit and her lack of fear when expressing affection. Though at times rather irritating, she was not shy and had no need to hold what she felt inside, whereas Rouge relied on her body and immense flirtatious behavior to get her point across. Amy used words.

The girls ended up subscribing to the same gym as well, which disheartened them significantly. They were, by nature, very competitive girls. Amy especially had the inclination to believe she constantly had a point to prove and tended to think that she was being challenged by the majority of the females in her presence. In consideration of such tendencies, she unknowingly bestowed a challenging air, one that angered other females and made them feel the need to confront her. Rouge was rather similar, though females were easily antagonized by just looking at the bat, regardless as to whether or not she was even trying to prove anything. As a result, the girls were by far the most vigorous members at the gym. Males had stopped trying to seduce them because the girls' routines were far more boistorous than theirs ever could be. Whenever one would out-do the other in whatever activity they partook in, they would push out a hip, put their nose in the air and strut to the next machine with a smile. These exhibitions of victory were often short-lived, as their strengths and capabilities evened out quickly. While Rouge excelled in lunges and squats, Amy surpassed her in running and weight-lifting. Rouge was especially toned in her legs and was an excellent kicker, whereas Amy worked her upper-body most because of her frequent uses of her Piko Piko Hammer. So yes, their rivalry was in vain.

There came a day, however, in which Rouge made her entry into the gym and saw Amy running on a treadmill. The bat started up right next to her and put the speed higher than Amy's, but noticed that she made no effort to out-run her. Rouge observed, then, that the hedgehog was staring off into space, distracted and perhaps upset about something. She didn't even notice Rouge next to her until she got off the treadmill and was standing right in front of her.

"I've been here over ten minutes," Rouge said as she stretched, "and there wasn't so much as a hello. I'm hurt."

Amy scoffed and put her fists on her hips. "Please. I'd be more convinced if you told me you were a walrus."

"What's up with you today, crabby-pants?"

Amy pinched her lips together and looked down, though she didn't respond. Rouge followed her around the gym and did whatever Amy picked up, but this time without intent of competing. There was something pressing on Amy's mind, and though they weren't necessarily friends, Rouge figured the girl might want some company. According to the unspoken girl-code, chicks stick up for each other. They took a turn around the room, but Amy would quit no more than five minutes into the workout to go onto another one.

"Are you ADD?" Rouge asked, but Amy just rolled her eyes and continued on. It wasn't long until she migrated back to the treadmills. "Seriously?" Rouge complained. "Again?"

"I like running," Amy said mindlessly.

Rouge complied, but she didn't last long. Panting and exhausted, she leaned against Amy's treadmill and watched her trek what seemed like miles and miles in one place.

"You know, hun," Rouge said at one point, checking her nails. She had positioned herself so that Amy had been staring at her for the past ten minutes as she ran, "you've really changed in these past few months. I may not like you that much, but I have to say that I am quite impressed with how you've matured. I mean, sure, you were a big pain in the as-"

"_Excuse _me?"

"-but you've changed for the better. Maybe you need a bit more time for the baby face and high pitch of yours though. Anyways, it's nice to see, sweet."

Amy slowed down the speed on her treadmill and looked at Rouge skeptically, but eventually she thanked her.

"Another thing," Rouge continued, smiling at a peacock that was definately on steroids. "I may be a thief and can be rather snide, but I do know when I do something  
wrong. It's rare, of course; I'm as perfect as you can get. What I'm saying is that I don't do this often, but I'm sorry for the secrecy thing back at that party thing for Tails. I shoulda stuck up for you or something. Anyways, forgive me?"

Never, on Amy's life, would she have ever imagined anything remotely comparable to an apology from Rouge. Such a humbling task from such a stuck-up woman was unfathomable. While the approach could use a heck of a lot of work, Amy was willing to accept it because the two of them weren't close to begin with. "Yeah, sure," she responded, turning off the treadmill. She'd been on the thing for over an hour throughout the morning.

"Great. Now let's _please_ get away from these things. Just _watching_ you run has exhausted me."

After that, they started to kind of like each other. They hung out regularly and Rouge invited Amy over frequently for movies and ice cream. Before they knew it, they were nearly inseperable.

Amy had also been reacquainted with Blaze, whose quietude made her adore her immensely. Amy was the sort that loved breaking down walls and making people smile. It was one of her great pleasures working at a café, where the grumpiest of the grumpiest came for their lattes. Blaze was unexpectedly prompt in opening up to Amy, perhaps due to the hedgehog's straightforward character that made it easy to do so. The two got along splendidly and spent much time together.

On a group outing, Amy had also met Shade, a distant relative of Knuckles. Being rather uptight, she seemed unapproachable and was therefore the victim of Amy's exclusive attentions. Knuckles was especially pleased, for Shade was like a sister to him and he had hoped that she and Amy would develop a bond. On the same occasion, Amy became reacquainted with Big, a great friend of hers. Immediately his face brought back to mind the journey in which they had been together in 2006, where she had entrusted her very life to him on multiple occasions. She also got to know Vector better, which was pleasing to her, as he was to be Vanilla's husband in over a year's time.

Amy had been there when he propsed, along with Espio, Charmy, Cream and Blaze. It was so adorable to see Vanilla giggling when Vector would whisper something into her ear. Amy had just been thinking how great they'd be together when Vanilla took out a breadstick. She was confused to see a ring around it, but when she turned she found Vector on one knee before her. He took her hand and began to tell her of his love for her, how he wished to spend the rest of eternity by her side, and then he asked her for her hand. In ecstatic tears she accepted, causing Amy to shed a few of her own. Cream, so excited about the engagement, flew into her future step-father's arms and hugged him tightly. It was the most beautiful moment Amy had ever experienced, one that would forever be engrained into her heart and memory.

Espio had been right; isolation would not have done her good.

* * *

Much time having passed since Tails had left on his adventure, Amy found herself worrying about his wellfare often. So came one Tuesday afternoon in particular where she was thinking of him - and, by extension, Sonic - and was praying excessively for his safety. She distracted herself through her work, getting cranky Marcus to burst into a laughing fit and allowing herself to be especially humored by good old Petunia when he came for his unneeded espresso. No matter how she tried though, she was anxious, and so when a familiar face decided to show up, she was ecstatic beyond words.

"Been a while, huh?"

Her face brightened and she literally jumped across the booth to give her dear friend an embrace.

"Tails! Oh! How I missed you!"

Laughing, the fox hugged back. "That makes two of us."

Once Amy closed up shop, they headed to Big Bang Retro Resto, an old time favorite of theirs. Ever since they were kids, they would run there for their strawberry shakes with extra whip cream. The diner wasn't as popular as the other Big Bang facilities and didn't receive a considerable amount of financial aid in its progression. Customers were therefore welcomed with tacky-beige paint peeling off the walls, red stools and benches with plastic seats that were tearing, traditional black and white tiles spotted with various stains, and worn-out pictures of Elvis. Regardless of the little income the restaurant brought in, there was a cheaply constructed platform that supported a baby grand piano meant for entertainment. The food was, despite the condition of the restaurant, quite spectacular, and the owner's son was especially charming.

"Same as always?" Tails asked when he and Amy settled into their usual booth, and she nodded enthusiastically. Besides them, there was only a family of racoons eating nachos, so customer service was fast. The two immediately immersed into an extended conversation that continued long after they were done their extra-large milkshakes, for they had much to catch up on. Tails animatedly talked of his school projects, bragging of his accomplishments and studies.

"Don't worry," he said suddenly, abruptly changing the subject at one point. "I gave Sonic a good talking to."

Amy laughed a little, then looked out the window with a contemplative look on her face. "I don't blame him completely, you know," she told Tails honestly.

She knew she loved Sonic. She adored him, and many times she woke up in the mornings thinking that she couldn't live on because he wasn't there with her. She was deathly in love with him, but had been so inconsiderate towards him because her love had blinded her from his own wants and desires. She knew he cared for her immensely and was certain that he loved her back. But that didn't matter sometimes. He needed space. He needed the wind. And though he needed love just as much, he didn't want it. _That's _what mattered.

He'd been kind towards her. He didn't just shoot it at her that he was sick of her company, which would have left her far more devastated than what she had been in recent times, but he had tried to distance them discreetly, to put space between them so that she never got the wrong idea. It would have been so _easy_ for him to take advantage of her and then stampede over her trampled heart, but he had put her wants ahead of his own when they had been together. She'd stuff her feelings down his throat, not letting him breathe, but he'd bear with it. When she was displaying a rare sight of maturity in some way, Sonic would shorten the distance between them and they would have an amazing time together. The moment she brought in childish romantic interests and affairs, he would back away again. In his own way, he had displayed a far more mature disposition than she had.

"He's been on his own for as long as he can remember," Amy continued. "He's not used to affection. I was forcing myself on him, trying to make him grow up faster than he was ready to. I'm not excusing his actions of course, but I'm just saying I don't hate his guts."

She was right, Tails knew. When he had lectured Sonic on their trip, he had looked like a cornered and abused child. He was scared. He needed to be taught to love, taught to accept what he felt, and taught to communicate. But Amy couldn't mother him; what she needed was a companion. Sonic did too, but at his rate, if he ever did commit to a relationship, he might make the mistake of going for someone that instructed him instead of supported him. And that would drive Sonic up the wall, and then all of his relationships were doomed to fail.

This didn't change the fact that Amy was still pissed at Sonic. He had no right to shun her from an important occasion with their closest friends. _That _had been selfish and rude on his part. He should have just apologized, like a responsible adult would, but he was childish, insecure, and far too proud. He had a lot of shaping up to do, and it could have started with a simple 'I'm sorry.' But what could Amy do? You could only control your actions, not those of others. You could either complain and cry about it and let it ruin your life, or you could deal with it properly. And that's what she planned to do. She'd face her problems and let Sonic run from his. Maybe one day her example would inspire him to change. For now, she'd just have to move on.

Amy looked up at Tails, who seemed to be observing her as though she were an invention of some sort. She swore that at any moment he'd suddenly open her mouth up and start inspecting her teeth.

"You know," Tails said thoughtfully, head cocked to the side, "you've really changed, Amy."

What with Rouge's previous comments on the same subject, as well as Knuckles' occasional mention of her developing characteristics, Amy came to see that, before any of them even came to realize it, they had grown; all of them. This disheartened Amy, because she could see everything was breaking, past relationships were ending, and the Sonic Team was falling apart. This scared her greatly, her worry was evident in her face. When Tails asked of it, she had tears in her eyes.

"Things are changing so fast, Tails. The team…it's…."

He leaned forward and took her hand. "I know, Amy. It's a shame that this is happening….it feels so weird."

She sniffed and took a napkin, wiping her fallen tears from her cheeks.

Change was a frightening thing, but all had to experience it. No one wanted to see their closest companions drifting away. Try as one may to maintain those sacred memories, there would always come a time when people disconnect, and when such happened, it felt like the world was collapsing around you and everything was falling apart.

"Amy," said the fox quietly, grasping her hand between both of his. He noticed how small it was, resting delicately in his own. She looked up at him, sniffling, and he gave her a soft smile. "No matter what happens, no matter who may abandon you or disappoint you, I will always be there for you. No matter what, I won't ever let you down."

Such an oath he made with all his heart, his entire being, because throughout his time separated from her, he realized how much he hated the distance, how quiet the environment was without her in it, and how distracted he was by the very thought of her. He wasn't like Sonic either. When he felt something, he deducted it, figured out what was going on in his head and his heart, and he accepted and worked with it. Lately he'd been noticing that his heart had been throbbing, his head had been racing, and his emotions were spiraling with confusion, much the same as when he was developing feelings for Cosmo, and everything made sense to him quickly.

There was just something about love that made it the hardest thing in the world to contain, Tails had realized, holding Amy's hand within his own. Love could never be bottled up, no matter how tight the cap holding it in. It didn't slump out like ketchup either; it burst and bubbled over, like champagne, and there was no way Tails could keep on like this. He had always been on the sidelines, watching Amy fight for her heart. It was about time he start fighting for his.

"Amy, I know that I'm younger than you, and I may not have much experience in love and all that," he told her, looking down at their hands for a few moments. "But I am mature. I know what I want in life and I know what I need." To this, he looked up at her, his eyes furnishing a look of determination, and something far gentler that Amy was unable to deduct at that moment in time. "I may be like a little brother to you, but I don't want you to view me as that anymore. Although I am not asking for you to respond right away, I want you to recognize me as an equal; as a man. I want you to view me as someone you could spend your future with."

"I-I don't understand."

"I love you."


	11. The Hardest Things to Say

**The Hardest Things to Say**

He ran.

He ran like he had never run before, without motive, without destination, running and running and running like his life depended on it.

He swore it did.

He was running from his feelings, from his confusion, from his friends….

He was running from Amy.

But didn't he always?

Confusion was clouding his vision. He couldn't think straight. He was trying to see where he was going, but all he saw was Amy's smile directed towards everyone he didn't want it directed to, and he slammed into an oak tree. Head buzzing, Sonic could see blurred, purple stars, and for a second he welcomed the stabbing pains that engulfed his entire body until he remembered what had distracted him and sent him body-checking into an obstacle in the first place.

She really made a mess out of him. He could almost laugh at himself, if he weren't in so much agony. His head always blanked out when he just _thought_ of her, and now he was cracking all over again. And he had thought that he had gotten rid of such stupid tendencies, the ones where he saw a flash of pink and would start tripping and flying and losing his mind! He had thought he was doing great. Then there was that fight and now….

Sonic decided to lay there. Not that he had too much of a choice; he was in far too much pain to even twitch. It stunk because, when he was still for more than three seconds, he started thinking, and thinking nowadays was a dangerous thing to do. But there was no running from it now, so he closed his eyes and pondered on the past couple of months of torment that he had been trying desperately to avoid.

He remembered Tails getting that phone call, nearly a year ago. Sonic and Amy had been with him, Tails pacing back and forth and Amy mumbling to herself. It was Tails' phone call, but the two hedgehogs had felt as though it were their own futures that lay on that single ring.

"The school should have called by now," Tails kept saying, glancing at the clock every two seconds. Sonic's foot kept taping the ground at an untraceable tempo as the time flew by. Amy would get up every few minutes, stroll nervously around the room, and then sit back down again, alternating her positions throughout the workshop.

"They'll call, buddy," Sonic kept assuring his friend, pasting a futile grin on his face. "They'd be stupid if they didn't, and we know that ain't true, cause this is a wicked genius school full of genius people. So they'll call."

"EXACTLY, Sonic! GENIUS! More genius than me!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Amy demanded, frowning angrily at Tails. "You're freaking brilliant, and you know it. Who was it that made a television out of paperclips?"

And that would silence Tails for about two minutes, and he'd start freaking out again.

Finally, forty-seven minutes and eleven seconds later, the phone rang. Sonic froze, and Amy leaped up and started biting her nails. Tails stood and stared at the phone until the third ring, and it took Sonic to yell "What are you doing!?" for him to reach for it. As Tails spoke with the dude on the other line, Amy came and sat next to Sonic, grabbing his hand and cutting the circulation out of it. But for this one occasion, he allowed it.

Five minutes later, Tails put down the phone.

"Well?" Amy questioned impatiently, leaning forward.

When Tails turned around, he didn't have to say anything. His majestic grin said it all. Amy screamed and ran into his arms, and Sonic laughed hysterically and kept claiming that he knew he'd get accepted all along, leaning against the back of the sofa. Tails was bouncing off the walls, Amy in suite, and Sonic couldn't contain the happiness within himself. He was watching the two closest people in his life at their happiest of moments, the most ecstatic he had ever seen them, and he felt like he was glowing. Words could never describe his feelings at that moment, nor could he comprehend them himself. Things had been going so well.

Tails had given Sonic the hardest of hugs – so much that it could rival those of Amy's – and exclaimed that he had to tell others that he was to start attending Princeton Academy, and with a peck on Amy's cheek was out of the door, leaving Amy and Sonic alone and floating in an air of bliss. Sonic got up, chuckling to himself and smiling softly at Amy. She, of course, was beyond herself and was literally dancing around the room and feeling like she could fly.

"Ya know, Ames," Sonic commented amid his own laughs, "with you being so happy and all, I'm beginning to wonder just who it was that was admitted into that brianiac academy."

"Oh, Sonic! Did you see his face, how happy he was?" She ran up to him, grabbing his hands again. "I swear I have never seen such an expression on him, never! This is his dream, Sonic! It's coming true!"

"Yeah." And they both softened and smiled affectionately at each other. "Yeah, it is."

And suddenly there was a hold on them, emitting from their mutual affection for a dear, common friend that meant so much to each of them, and it is through this bond of friendship that the two hedgehogs drew a bond deeper than most, far deeper than Sonic had ever expected, and in an instant of gazing into her sparkling, gorgeous eyes, he found himself drawn to her, amid the waves of excitement and happiness and affection. He stopped thinking (which he now ironically thought to be far more dangerous than doing so) and his heart started talking and saying all that he had been trying desperately to keep hushed, and the distance closed between he and the one before him, and his lips were against hers.

A spark, flaming and burning between them, sending a jolt through their cores, was what woke Sonic up, and after a couple of seconds, he pulled away with a perturbed expression and ran out the door. Whenever he looked back at that moment, he regretted running away. Her lips against his, he felt his whole body reacting and his lips moving on their own. He could feel her reacting back, her lips parting and her body leaning, but he had stopped it before he was too far gone. But he had wanted to stay. He had wanted to stop, turn around and run right back to the workshop and pull her into his arms and kiss her some more.

But he didn't have the guts to do that.

He hadn't seen Amy for a few weeks after that. That's when the whole I-see-a-flash-of-pink-and-so-I-freak-out baloney REALLY started. (He was already having an issue with that sort of thing to begin with.) He couldn't bear the thought of facing her, not after that fiasco back at Tails' place.

That's why he didn't invite Amy to Tails' party.

He had tried, of course, by means of telecommunication. Several times, in fact. But he had chickened out every time Amy's voice would come up by telephone. Finally, he knew he was incapable of such a feat. Then, he started envisioning what she would wear. It was a party; she would wear something _nice_. Man, he could NOT handle her looking good when their lips had made contact. Could NOT.

A few days before the party, Knuckles had asked him if Amy was making a cake, as he absolutely adored her recipes. Sonic was then forced to admit that Amy was not coming. The echidna may not have been the smartest of guys, but the fact that Amy wasn't coming to Tails' going-away party was beyond comprehension, and this he brought to Sonic's attention, to which Sonic was forced to admit that he had not invited her. This lead to an argument, which then started treading dangerously close to Sonic's unprecedented feelings for her, and through a fist-fight he had made Knuckles swear to keep the party a secret from Amy. Guilt had been haunting him for the longest time, but he could not bring himself to compromise. He lied to Cream about Amy having other plans and kept the party quiet.

He would never forget Amy's face when she walked in that day.

Sonic had never felt so horrible in his life. He couldn't look at her; he had hurt her. _He _had _hurt _her. He _hated_ that. He **_hated_ **that he was the cause of her pain. He remembered how happy she had been for Tails, that day he got the phone call. She was one of his closest friends…and Sonic's too. And yet, she was betrayed in such a horrible way….Sonic couldn't bear it. He just _wished_ he could erase that moment. He cringed whenever he thought of it. He hated himself, HATED himself, for doing such a thing. His own pride had hurt her insufferably, and it was killing him in turn.

Still, he had not been able to face her. Guilty and ashamed, as well as proud and afraid of his own emotions, he hadn't the guts to go up to her and apologize, because he had no excuse for his behavior, and she would demand an explanation. She would bring up the kiss, he reckoned, and he would only affirm that he did, indeed, have feelings for her. Then she would force him to get married and they would have to have kids and his life would be over.

She came around again, to see Tails off.

She looked great, he had thought, and immediately he could feel his cheeks heating up at the sight of her. He couldn't make eye contact, fearing that she could see through him. He managed a few peeks, and it pained him. She still wore a sad expression, which was hardly surprising, considering the circumstances. And when Tails went off, her composure seemed to fly off with him. And then Sonic thought, "I can make this right!" and was going to group his courage together and apologize and save the day, and they would be all good again. He took a step, but froze when he saw a purple arm go around her shoulders.

A rage Sonic had never before experienced began to furnace within him. ESPIO? Since when did she even KNOW Espio? Why the heck were they so googly-eyed towards each other? What the heck were they doing laughing together, and then walking off together into the sunset? What the HECK was she DOING?

And then Charmy went and said the most unnecessary of things, words that Sonic couldn't bear to repeat, and could feel himself losing it. He ran. Under the concealment of forestry and wild life, Sonic felt his body heat up, his fur darken, his mind lost. Darkness, darkness, darkness…it was all he could see, and Amy was all he could think, over and over and over again, until he could think no more.

He had woken up surrounded by broken trees and blackened grass in the middle of a patch that used to have beautiful flowers blossoming in the summer's haze. His head was pounding and his heart rate was slow. He breathed in and out, in and out, until he finally felt he could move again. He rolled onto his side and came face to face with a wilting rose. It still had its deep, red color, but was shredded from its bush. Sonic assumed he was responsible for its condition. It pained him because he saw an immediate comparison with this delicate flower and another that he had pushed away.

Amy had always been his flower. But he hadn't been treating it right, and it wilted away from him.

Days later, and Sonic could not bear it. He had to escape isolation, and so he went to an old friend.

"I went to see Amy," was the first thing Knuckles decided to say. Sonic's composure was yanked from under him like a rug pulled from under his feet.

"Y-Y-Y-You WHAT?"

"I SAID," Knuckles had growled irritably, "I went to see Amy."

"…Y-You did?"

"Yeah." Then he looked Sonic straight in the face. "You really hurt her, man."

It was like Knuckles just punched him in the face. Sonic could only look down in shame.

"What gives, man?" Knuckles pressed. "Honestly, what sort of fight did you two get into that would make you cut her off like that?"

Sonic didn't answer – _couldn't_ answer, causing his friend to scoff at him.

"Honestly, you can be such a derk sometimes."

"Derk?"

"Uh…jerk. You can be a jerk."

Sonic brushed his hand through his quills and looked down with a sigh. "Yeah, I know."

And he dashed off. All of the signs were pointing to Amy, and his deterioration was due to this issue. It had to be fixed. Though not ready to admit that his heart was a major factor in the equation, he was willing to accept that the scarcity of Amy in his life was taking a major toll, she being an extremely close _FRIEND_. Additionally, such companionship was vital, as his best bud had just left for the academy and such deprivation was beyond what he knew he could bear.

He had dashed to and from her front door for hours. He'd brave a fist upwards, but dashed to the other side of the country before it hit. He couldn't fathom why it was so hard, couldn't believe how difficult it was for him – for HIM! – to do such a simple task as this. He sometimes hated who he became when around Amy. He felt like such a loser; such a weak, petty guy. He hated that. He was supposed to be strong, egotistical, and was supposed to always get his way. But Amy…she brought out the worst in him: cowardice, shame, stuttering, the whole sha-bang. Certainly she brought out the best in him as well, but especially the worst.

Finally, he managed a timid, faint knock. No answer.

Sonic fell to his knees. All this destructive behavior, for _nothing_? He stayed on the ground, humbled. But after a minute or so, his ears picked up noise within the domain, the faint sound of horribly-off-key singing, and Sonic knew it hadn't been for naught. Grinning, he jumped back up again, suddenly overwhelmed with a new-found excitement to see her again. How long had it been, anyways? Goodness, far too long. And it was such a delight to hear her terrible singing again! Who would've thought it!

She couldn't hear his knocking, even after one as confident as his, so he had no other choice but to walk in. But his confidence and excitement decided to stay outside, and when he closed the door and called her name, he was the mad loser all over again. His call came out as a squeal, causing Sonic to slap his hand over his mouth and bite it, for such an embarrassing cry must not be left unpunished. Then she came out, and he lost his breath, and she smelled so _amazing_ and that same rush of whatever that had hit him back when Tails got that phone call came roaring back in an instant.

He chickened out, inevitably. What he had wanted to say - a humble apology and 'it will never happen again' – came out completely opposite, and instead evoked a fight that he never thought they could have, and one thing led to another, and then, suddenly, he had ruined their relationship forever. Yes, this was the idiot that Amy Rose would, on a regular basis, make him become, and it caused far more damage than good. Now he was in agonizing despair, and he knew that Amy was too.

Well, he thought she had been. He felt like such a snot-bag, because all this stupidity was because of how stupid he was, and he knew he lost her forever.

Damn, he wanted to run into another tree again.

He felt like he had lost everything: his pride, his happiness, his best friends….Heck, even Knuckles seemed to be cutting him off! It ticked him off because the guardian was the last person on earth to know anything about romance or all that soppy stuff. Plus, the guy had a ridiculously dysfunctional relationship with Rouge, so that automatically disqualified him from offering _any _advice.

Tails though…._Man_, he laid it on thick. Sonic had _never, __**ever **_seen him so worked up. Tails' narrowed eyes, his fists to his side…he had truly been a fear-inspiring sight. "Sonic," he had started, looking him straight in the eye as though glaring into Sonic's heart, "I owe you a lot, I know. We're best friends and you've done so much for me. I'd do almost anything for you – heck, I would die for you. But there is one thing I cannot and will not do, and that's giving Amy up to you." This, Sonic would admit, caught him seriously off-guard, because this statement implied a romantic interest in her. "No matter how indebted I am to you, I'm not going to watch as you run circles around her and confuse her and hurt her like you have been. You've put her through your crap long enough. I don't care if you smarten up; by the time you get your act together and your arse off my couch back home, Amy will already be mine."

A couple of years ago, back when they had been on Earth, Sonic had nearly fallen through ice. The lake had seemed quite solid and reliable, but once he was out too far, he could hear a long, shivering crack. He froze in place and his heart stopped. Slowly, so _very _slowly, he began to turn. For a couple of seconds, everything was fine, but suddenly there was a louder crack, one he could feel this time, and he panicked. He tried running, but he slipped, and then two more cracks were heard, loud and sharp and sudden like gunshots. When he was six feet away from shore, the ice gave way and he fell into the icy water up to his knees. He bolted back to Chris' place as fast as he could, fearing immense frostbite and the potential days he'd have lying in bed.

That's what it felt like then, when he saw his best friend turn on him like that. Like there was nothing beneath his feet, and the ice was breaking all around him. There was absolutely nowhere to turn anymore. Everyone he knew seemed to be walking away from him, and he was all alone. Ironically, he had once liked the idea of complete isolation, but the saying holds true: you don't know what you have until it's gone.

They say one of the hardest things to say was 'help me.' Staring at Tails then, seeing everything taken away from him so quickly, he had wanted to scream it. He just wanted to break down and cry and beg Tails with all he had to just, please, _help _him. "I don't know what to do anymore," he wanted to sob, and he wanted Tails to kneel down and pat his head and say, "It's alright. I'm here for you."

But he wasn't, because Sonic was a douche, and he was paying for his insolent pride. It was funny how little time he had for making friends, and even less he had for keeping them.

It was cold out, Sonic realized, suppressing a shiver. He had trekked past a couple of mountains in the north and was finally heading towards the glaciers. The air was frigid, and Sonic found himself shivering relentlessly on a block of ice. He had never considered his surroundings up to this point, his mind now mush. But he just sat there, shaking and teeth chattering, and let the cold clear his head. Maybe he would die here, he reckoned. Would anyone miss him?

He laughed at himself. He was being melodramatic, he realized. Realistically, there was no way Amy could turn off her feelings suddenly. While she was upset at him, this did not necessarily mean that she hated his guts. This thought comforted him immensely, and with such assurance he refused to let any pessimism shadow that piece of sunlight.

Was he going to let himself get depressed like this? Was he going to let himself continue this way, running into trees and on the brink of tears at every moment of his life? Was he going to keep pushing those he cared for away? Was he going to continue hurting everyone around him? This he thought about for an hour. God knows how long he'd been in that climate until then, but he didn't feel it taking a huge toll on him. If anything, he swore the temperature was helping him think rationally, which was something he didn't do too often.

It was time to set things straight. Well, it had been time to set things straight for quite a while now, but it was better late than never. Of course, such a delayed decision might have some significant impact on whether things would get fixed up or not, but it was better than sitting around and mourning over things he could have changed.

He had to wrap his head around it though, what this apology he was planning entitled her to. An explanation she would no doubt be expecting. This would lead to something far too complex on Sonic's part. While he could no longer deny the bearing Amy had on him, he wasn't ready for a confession of any sort. Saying 'I love you' was far too sudden for him. Amy never seemed to have any trouble expressing affection, and Sonic had to admit that it was something he honestly admired. He supposed that it could be because she hardly viewed such emotions as a burden. She had once told him that her drive was the ones she loved. The people in her life were what made her life worthwhile, and she didn't consider what she felt for them to be anything worth swallowing her pride for. Sonic could see much reason in such; he fought and protected the ones he loved and would do anything for them. He wouldn't ever go chasing after Eggman if it weren't for his love for people either. Regardless, confessing one's deepest emotions was not part of the equation, and he knew he wasn't the only one that had trouble with it. He could name countless of people that struggled like him: Shadow, Knuckles, Rouge, Blaze, Shade….He was far from the only one.

He had a lot he needed to work out, Sonic realized with a sigh. Slowly, he got up, stretching painfully and feeling a throbbing in his skull. He wondered what sort of steps he could take to get to some place better, to become someone a bit more worthy of Amy's attentions. For one, he knew he had to get his act together. He was living in his own fantasy world, running and running and running and living as a complete nomad, leaching off of fans and making everyone wonder if he was even alive. Frankly, he was bored of it all, for he'd seen the world and he'd run enough to make up for an entire generation's gym classes. What he thought would be his essence of happiness, that being his freedom, was actually becoming the cause of his deepest grievances. What he needed was stability.

The run back was exhausting, particularly because of the harsh climate. A storm had started and Sonic was running against what felt like missiles of ice. He slipped many times, leaving multiple bruises all over his body, and eventually he came to realize he was actually heading in the wrong direction and had to turn back south to trek across a blizzard for a couple of hours until finally discovering a cave for shelter. Inside, he met a friendly polar bear who was ecstatic to meet him – well, anyone, Sonic reckoned, for the guy had claimed that he had never seen a fellow Mobian in years.

The bear was sad to see him go, but Sonic was determined to fix himself up and left once the storm had settled. Hours later, he was back home to sun and cloudless skies. He went to Vanilla's and let her mend his injuries, at the same time discreetly asking of Amy's wellbeing. He knew he wasn't doing too good at covering up because Vanilla cast him a knowing smile. She made him rest up for a week until he was in good condition, leaving him much time to think about his life. He was ready to talk to Amy by the end of his recovery, but was disheartened to know that she was actually down east on a vacation with Rouge.

"When the heck have they even _liked_ each other?" Sonic asked, shocked out of his mind.

No matter, he concluded. The more time he had to prepare, the better. He took a rare trip to the library and he Googled 'how to say I'm sorry.' He was embarrassed by his lack of resources, so he took the computer farthest away from seeing eyes. He was surprised that the search engine recommended what he was typing out almost immediately, which showed him that he wasn't the only one to have done this sort of thing. This comforted him slightly but did not calm his stress. Clicking the first link, Sonic became extremely relieved that Amy was out of the country. One of the first sentences he read clarified that saying 'but' in any apology was a no-no and would probably receive a slap in the face. He realized that this apology was something that involved entombing one's pride, for he was trying to make amends, not prove that he'd been right. Because he hadn't been; he'd been imprudent and insufferable and every other adjective he could think of to describe his actions.

All this time, Sonic had thought that apologizing was something that showed weakness of character, but he'd been wrong before. An apology was something that a strong person performed. It was probably one of the hardest things one could ever do, and Sonic was starting to see just how much of a coward he truly was. It didn't matter that he'd made battleships explode or was able to dash across continents or had the six-pack of a god. Saying he was sorry was far harder than any of that.

"An apology is like a bridge," he read at some point. "It has the power to restore damaged relationships and heal people's hearts. It means accepting fault, failure, and weakness, which is far more powerful than not." He also learned that he had to be specific and that beating around the bush was not the thing to do.

He did come to read something that he _really_ didn't like. "A good apology," one article wrote, "also has to make you suffer."

"That's it," he scoffed, crossing his arms angrily. "This ain't workin' out."

"Unless you communicate guilt, anxiety, and shame," he continued to read, "people are going to question the depth of your remorse. The anxiety and sadness demonstrate that the potential loss of the relationship matters to you. Guilt tells the offended person that you're distressed over hurting him. And shame communicates your disappointment with yourself over the incident."

He couldn't deny that he felt all of that - guilt, anxiety, and shame - and everything he read conveyed precisely how he felt about hurting Amy. He wanted to set things straight, but honesty was not his best policy. He'd been avoiding the topic of 'them' for a long while now. To have to apologize meant bringing up the kiss, but he couldn't. He just couldn't.

He brought his face into his hands and sighed. Things weren't going to work out after all.

"Sonic?"

The hedgehog turned around and was horrified to see Espio, who reminded him exclusively of his current dilemma. The chameleon glanced over at the computer screen before Sonic had the chance to minimize the window.

"Are you planning on apologizing to Amy?" he asked, and Sonic just wanted to die right there. Biting the inside of his cheek, he said nothing, instead deciding to dwindle his thumbs and pray that Espio would decide to walk away. No such chance.

"It's not an easy thing to do," Espio continued, dismaying Sonic when he decided to sit next to him. "I would know."

This surprised the hedgehog. "You would?"

Espio nodded and looked down at his hands on his lap. "Probably the most arduous undertaking anyone has to see to."

"Ha. Yeah, you can say that again. Got any recommendations?"

The ninja thought for a moment. "Remember that it's not about you. It's about Amy."

This Sonic hadn't thought about much. He had only been thinking about how _his_ life had been so damaged because of her absence, but hadn't given as much consideration as to how Amy would feel having him back in _her_ life. She meant it when she told him to get out of it. He wondered if he would ruin her day and make her cry when he approached her. The thought pained him immensely, for he hated the idea of being a cause of her anguish. Well, the reality of it.

He wasn't even worthy of breathing the same air as her. What could he possibly offer that could make her better anyways? While he was the best of people when she was around, he was certain that he only brought out everything she hated about herself. She'd been right; she was far better off without him. This he said to Espio, who observed him thoughtfully.

"You truly do care for her," he responded, causing the blue blur to blush. "I believe you are quite mistaken, however." As the chameleon went on to declare his reasoning, Sonic found him less and less unlikeable than he initially thought. He saw that he had been quite wrong about Espio and Amy being an item; rather, they were close friends, and Sonic could see that Espio took her best interests close to heart. This meant that, with him telling Sonic that he was actually not a horrible person to Amy, Sonic could possibly be one of those 'best interests.'

"I've seen you together," Espio went on to tell him. "You work as a team. I've watched you entrust your lives to each other and lean on each other for support. I've seen Amy break down and I've watched you run up to her and protect her. I've seen you bring out the best in her, whether you believe you have or not. So what you say, that you're no good for her, I cannot agree with. Unless, of course, you continue your indecisive behavior and confuse her profusely."

He felt his eyes itching with tears ready to be shed. He wanted to break down and pour out his heart and fix everything. He brought his face in his hands, restraining his feelings from overflowing.

"Help me, please."

* * *

See? Sonic ain't such a jerk after all!

Thank you so much for your reviews on the last chapter! They truly warmed my heart!

Other chapter titles: **Running and Running and Running**; You Can Be Such a Derk Sometimes; Everything Is Breaking; **The Ice Is Cracking**; There Is Nowhere to Turn Anymore; Don't Know What You Have Until It's Gone; It's Time to Set Things Straight; **Help Me**


	12. Everything's Going to be Alright

**Everything's Going to be Alright**

Espio had never thought he would see Sonic the hedgehog cry. The two sitting on a log deep in untouched forestry, Sonic found himself pouring out his heart to the chameleon and then breaking down. He felt like such a loser, _such _a sore loser, to have lost it like that. He never cried for anything, but here he was bawling in front of someone he only knew from a limited amount of interactions. What was _wrong _with him! But once he started, he just couldn't stop. It was like he just opened a floodgate, and there was no way he would be able to stop it once it all started pouring out. And yet, Espio stuck with him all day, consoling him and supporting him.

"You know, Amy has grown as well," Espio said once Sonic had finally calmed down. "She's far more understanding than she may have been initially. I believe, if you explain that you are unwilling for the time being to pursue any sort of commitment, she would understand."

"I ain't ready to tell her all that. No way in hell."

"I think that you are looking far too deep into this."

"Oh, _do _you now? Are_ you_ the one in this situation?"

"I told you I have been before."

"And how did that work out for you?"

There was a pause. "Not very well."

"Exactly."

"Think about it though, Sonic. What do you think Amy wants from you?"

"Distance. A heck of a lot of it."

"No, no, no. An apology."

"Which becomes a love confession. That's it."

"No. Just an apology, a sincere one. She won't give consideration to _why _you did it, so long as she can see that you truly mean what you say. She just wants to have a look at your heart."

"Uh, yeah. See, _that's _what I don't like doing."

"Well, do you like being estranged from her?"

And the ninja strikes again.

"No," said Sonic. In fact, he hated it so much he swore he would die.

"Just a glance at your heart, Sonic. Just one."

Sonic said nothing, allowing the silence to continue for a long while. He thought deeply on his situation, and again perceived that all of this drama was due to the same pride that had made everyone distance themselves from him in the first place. For a second he imagined himself in someone else's shoes, talking with him and trying to get him to drop the act, and he became so frustrated at just the thought of it. How annoying it must have been for all his friends to deal with him!

Espio was right. All Amy had ever wanted was for Sonic to just be honest with her. If she was to accept his apology, he was going to have to strip himself of his usual demeanor and hold out his heart for her to pick at.

"I'll show her," Sonic decided.

The next day, Sonic went to the mall. He took his sweet time walking to it of course, but he was making one baby step at a time. It was quite a jump from what he would have done months before, which Sonic marveled at. He had to admit that he was quite impressed with himself. He hoped, though, that it wasn't just a one-time thing and he would eventually lose motivation. He wanted to change and he wanted to maintain that change of lifestyle. He didn't want to do it necessarily for Amy, though she did help motivate him, but he wanted to change for himself, to be a better person that not only his friends could be proud of, but himself as well. And this would help him do that.

Was he ready to make this apology though? He envisioned a scream in his ear, a slap in the face, maybe even a cup of coffee poured all over his body, and he swore he would never be able to do it. The idea of saying something so hard as 'I'm sorry' was unfathomable. He was, he knew, a very stubborn guy, and Amy just as much. Despite their obvious insecurities, they were thick-skulled and never took no for an answer. This was proved true in consideration of Amy's relentless romantic pursuits in the past and Sonic's stubbornly refusing to be charmed. For both of them, an apology was just as hard as rolling a spiked stake up a steep and rocky mountain during a typhoon. It was little wonder, then, that their faults clashed and erupted. Neither had been willing to raise the flag until it was far too late.

Still, Sonic hated the idea of living in this world and not having the balls to fix something that shouldn't be unresolved. Even if Amy swore to never see his face again, he would at least know that he had tried, though a little too late. He decided he better strike now, before he lost his courage and decided to venture off to some remote island for a year. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea where Amy worked, only that she sold coffee. He ventured across all three floors, dashing up to each and every fast food joint and asking if Amy Rose worked there. A lot of chicks claimed to be her, but he only glared at them and ran off. He didn't have time for fans right now.

He dilly-dallied to Amy's booth, unscrambling words in his head and pinpointing which ones he would use when he finally saw her.

And, suddenly, there she was.

Just like that, Sonic's heart was beating like he had just jumped off an exploding airship. He face-planted against the glass window of a sex shop, so shocked he was. After a minute or so of hiding behind a display mannequin and peeking at her from behind it, he felt a smile creep up his face. Man, it had been so _long_ since he had last seen her. She looked far more amazing than he recalled. Actually, she looked far more content than before, which made his smile fade. She was far happier than she had been when he was in her life. She just looked liberated somehow, like some heavy weight had left her. And he bet that it was him.

Espio was wrong. She didn't need Sonic in her life. He was about to give up just then, but he stopped himself. How did he expect himself to change if he cowered at this moment in time? Even if she never talked to him again, she still deserved an apology. _She_ deserved it. He didn't matter right now. It was about her and what he had done to her. Simple as that. No matter what happened after that day, he would know that he had done the right thing.

He let a few customers go by, then made his move when the coast was clear. His heart was beating fast and loud, his palms were sweating, and his feet were begging him to turn around, but he persevered. He wasn't giving up. Not after bawling hysterically in front of a ninja.

Before he knew it, he was standing before her booth and looking down at her filling the cup dispenser. When she realized someone was before her, she got up and offered a welcoming smile and was about to greet him as a customer. Her reaction, though delayed, made Sonic's heart cry, for her face fell slowly and revealed an anger in her eyes that reminded him of their argument a few months earlier.

"_Sonic?_"

He offered a smile, small and apologetic. "Hey, Amy." His eyes were soft as he looked at her, for seeing her after such long periods of time always made him kind of soppy. He was, sincerely and blissfully, happy to see her, regardless of the circumstances. "I wanted to talk to you-" But Amy cut him off.

"The last time you said that, I told you to get out of my life," she said, her words stabbing him and making him wince.

"Yeah…I remember."

"There's nothing left to talk about, Sonic the hedgehog." She meant business when she used his full name like that. She was making it clear that he was not welcome.

"I know! I just-"

"So I'm going to ask you to leave. It'd be far too bothersome to argue with you here in public. Or anywhere, for that matter."

"I don't want to argue, Am-"

"Then leave."

His ears flattened to his head, he looked like a dejected child. Seeing such a pitiful expression softened Amy's heart somewhat, but not enough to pursue any conversation.

"_Please, _Amy. Just hear me out."

"No, Sonic. I don't want this."

"Neither do I! That's why I came, to a-"

"Sonic, move. There's a customer."

Instantly Sonic moved to the side, allowing a giant gorilla to come up to the cash.

"Am I interruptin' somethin'?" he asked, which really pissed Sonic off because that was none of the dude's business. Sonic noticed that it struck a nerve on Amy as well.

"_No, _Petunia," she responded, trying her hardest to give him a smile as she poured a cup of espresso. "He was just leaving." She shot Sonic a glare as she said this, then accepted Petunia's payment. The customer sighed and shook his head, then had the nerve to give his own input on the situation that he had no knowledge of. He went on talking about his own unnecessary love life back when he was in high school, mentioning something about wedgies and getting beat up by his girlfriend's brother.

"_Thank _you, Petunia," Amy said, struggling to maintain her composure. "We appreciate your advice."

"Anytime, Miss. Rose." Before leaving, the gorilla put a 'supportive' hand on Sonic's shoulder and wished him luck, and it took everything Sonic had not to blow up at him. As Petunia was leaving, Sonic stuck his thumb at him and asked Amy what the heck was up with that dude, but she just shrugged.

"Anyways," she continued, wiping the counter with a wet rag, "you should go."

That guy had totally ruined everything for him, and he had absolutely no patience and was ticked off beyond words, and he just decided that the gods hated him. "Fine! But on one condition."

"What! No-"

"I get to say _three _words. That's it. Then you'll never, ever, ever see my face again. If...you don't want to see it."

She expected the worst, like 'I hate you,' but she complied hesitantly, looking him sternly in the face.

"I am sorry."

The shock she felt was evident in all her features. She dropped the cloth and her eyes widened and she froze, staring at him in bewilderment. Her silence was unexpected, so Sonic was at a loss as to what he should do now. Should he continue with what he had planned to say (though long forgotten now) or should he leave as she had asked him to?

"I mean…I wanted to say a lot more," he tested, bringing his hand through his quills and looking up at the skylight, "but I promised just three words…."

"What else did you want to say?"

He started by saying how much of a douche he was, that he was such an idiot, an arse-face, every insult he could possibly muster for not inviting her to the party and for not apologizing earlier. "I completely understand if you want to punch me in the face. I also understand that you don't want to see me. But although I get that, I really hope that you would…reconsider. Also, I want you to know that hurting you is the last thing I would ever, ever, _ever _want to do. Ever since the party, I've been feeling guilty as hell and I _hate_ that I've hurt you. I'm so sorry for that. So, _**so **_sorry, Amy, like you wouldn't believe. I know that an apology might not mean much either, but I want you to know that what I said, that I didn't want you around, was a load of shi-uh, crap, and I didn't mean it. I swear I didn't. Please know that I would _never_ mean that. I can only imagine all the pain I've put you through, and every time I do, I just want to die right there and bury myself because I cannot believe how much of a jerk I was. You deserve so much better, Amy. I am so, so sorry."

She rendered mute, shocked beyond what words could muster, but Sonic took this as a rejection. Regardless of what he's said, she didn't want him. He knew as much anyways and had been expecting it. Regardless, it still pained him immeasurably, to the point where he was sure he'd start bawling on the spot.

"So, yeah," he finished, stepping away, looking down at his feet. "That's what I wanted to say…."

Amy still hadn't said anything, and so he concluded that that was it. He'd never see her again.

Oh, he just wanted to die.

He turned and slowly walked away, feeling as though a heavy blanket was wearing him down. God, he was such an idiot. Such a stupid, stupid, _stupid _idiot for even _thinking _that she would _ever _-

"Sonic!"

When he turned, he was nearly knocked over. She ran into him, bringing her arms around him and giving him a tight embrace and making his heart stop.

Since that day, he often tried to wrap his head around it, tried to individualize each layer of emotion he experienced, but found himself lost in contentment, grinning ear to ear like a madman, and he would lose focus all over again. He'd easily confess that it was the most gratifying moment in his life, for his most important person had shown right then and there that she had forgiven him for the stupidest things he had ever done. She was crying uncontrollably and sobbing 'thank you' over and over and over again, her voice muffled in his chest. He brought his arms around her as well, holding her as though he would never, _ever_ let her go. He didn't care who was watching at that moment, his face buried in her shoulder and his eyes tickling with tears. He just held her, soaking up that moment and piercing it into his heart so that he could never forget that moment there with her. Just like that, his world changed and he could honestly think to himself, "Everything is going to be alright."

* * *

Very fast-paced, so I'm sorry. I don't know if it's the weather or something, but right now I just have no motivation to do _anything _(and I mean _anything. _I can't even get out of bed in the mornings) and am kinda...emotionless? Like a dead person. Or a chair. Yeah, a chair. I feel like a chair.


End file.
